


The Champion of Ravenclaw

by pacco1



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Battle, F/M, Gen, Manipulative Albus Dumbledore, OC centric, Original Character(s), Originally Posted on FanFiction.Net, Undecided Relationship(s), Wizarding Wars (Harry Potter)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-13
Updated: 2020-07-13
Packaged: 2021-03-05 06:01:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 9
Words: 38,870
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25239649
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pacco1/pseuds/pacco1
Summary: Drawn into the Wizarding World, Daniel Lovage is thrust into a position where he is able to change the world for the better, or worse. Working his way into the center of the story, he finds himself battling enemies as well as friends. As he digs deep to try and change the world, he begins to discover dark and horrifying secrets, some about himself.
Kudos: 3





	1. Crossing the Veil

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, my friends. So I've had an AO3 for a long time but I always preferred FF.Net but now I'm here to give this fair website a chance. I'm transferring my story over from FF.Net and I hope all of you enjoy it. It's a little rough, maybe, but well its a passion project! Hope you all like it!

The day had been as ordinary as any other. The sun hid behind the cover of clouds, people chatted and walked, enjoying the freedom of being released from the final class. The cool December afternoon brought a wave of nostalgia for Daniel Lovage. He smirked as he sat alone on the bus bench, headphones blaring loud music into his ears. He could see the sea of familiar faces and excited teenagers leave, eager to begin their Christmas vacations.

Daniel himself was in no rush. He sat comfortably, his back resting against the stone pillar that supported the roof of the bus stop. He pulled his coat tighter against his body and saw a few familiar faces moving through the crowd, pulling closer toward the bus station.

Daniel felt a twinge of panic and rushed to his feet, he could see the bus just a few blocks down the road. He could see the boys getting closer and he began to fidget, hoping to will the bus to arrive more quickly.

He felt a gloved hand grasp the back of his neck. He swore as he felt his body get pulled back, coming face to face with a group of boys.

He could hear their taunts and laughter. He felt the slaps and the shoves. He felt small, insignificant. He felt his throat tighten and tears well up in his eyes. Don't let them see you cry, he repeated to himself as he bit his lip and felt blood pool in his mouth as he tied to focus on the pain rather than the fear and humiliation.

The bus neared, he hoped they would leave and allow him to be alone. But instead, they began to pull him away from the curb, insisting that they weren't done talking. He kept his head bowed and felt his breath shudder as the bus neared. With no one near the post, it refused to slow.

Desperation and need to escape filled him.

He shoved the boys moving toward the bus. He waved his arms and called out for it to stop. The driver had not seen him. The boys had shoved him in retaliation, acting on instinct rather than thinking.

And it was with that unfortunate motion that the life of Daniel Lovage had been cut short.

The darkness around him was unending, the coldness that gripped him unyielding. He shivered as he took a step forward. His foot made contact with a solid surface, echoing across the vast expanse around him.

Is this death? He asked, swallowing nervously. He felt tears begin to well up in his eyes as he took another step. He remembered the headlight and the sound of the impact, but other than that, his mind was fuzzy on the details. Another step forward and there was a noise from behind him. He swallowed and turned, his vision still drowned in the dark.

"H-H-Hello?" He called out, his voice echoing and vibrating in the air. "I-Is someone there?"

He could hear his own breathing growing ragged and he swallowed wringing his hands together. He closed his eyes and took deep breaths to calm himself. He opened his eyes, still trapped in the dark.

"Hello!" He shouted down. The air vibrated rocking Daniel to the ground. He screamed and felt his hands make contact with the cold floor. His head rang and his skin crawled, the air shaking violently. "Stop! Stop!"

His pleas were not answered. He brought his hands to his ears hoping to shield his ears and calm the ringing in his head.

He screwed his eyes shut and ground his teeth together so violently that he thought that they would break in his jaw.

But slowly he felt his skin stop to crawl, the ringing in his head slowed down. And the vibrations died. Opening his eyes Daniel found that he was no longer in darkness. Light flowed into the space around him, illuminating a bright stony courtyard, a great white tree sprouting from the center. Its branches were long and heavy with leaves of all different colors. Bright green, faded orange, light yellow.

Daniel stared at the beautiful tree, it seemed magnificent, regal almost. Though he nearly laughed at himself as he realized he had called a tree regal.

He took a cautious step forward and reached his hand out. A breeze blew past him gently, a few leaves falling and brushing past him. Gently as he could, his hand made contact with the rough bark. He smiled, a warm feeling spreading through his body, calming his nerves.

"Careful," he jumped, bringing his hand back. He turned his head, his heart pounding in his chest. He could see a figure sitting on a stone bench. She was smirking at him, a leather-bound book lazily held in her hand while her free hand brushed a few strands of raven locks from her face. "It's a very old tree."

Daniel swallowed nervously and glanced around the courtyard. He couldn't see anyone else, nor did he see the woman before she had spoken, then again, he hadn't been paying much attention to anything.

"H-Hi," he said. He glanced from the woman to the tree and felt a shard of panic slice through him "I'm sorry! I just, I don't know how I… I'm just trying to—"

She laughed and held up her hand silencing him. "Be calm. It's okay. You did nothing wrong."

He let out a sigh he hadn't known he was holding. "Thank you."

She stood up, closing her book and setting it down on her seat. Daniel noticed that her dress was long, and a deep blue. But it seemed old fashioned as if it was something he would see in an old painting.

"Poor boy," she said walking forward. She was shorter than he had first assumed, her appearance and the way she carried herself made her seem taller, larger. She came closer and reached her hand out, cupping Daniels's face. "You must be so confused. I know it must be… this must be a lot to take in."

She turned and took a few steps away from him. She glanced over her shoulder and turned to face him.

"Do you know what happened?" Daniel nodded slowly, his eyes glancing downward, focusing on his hands. "Tell me. I, I know it can be painful, and unpleasant, to put it mildly, however, I need to hear you say it."

Daniel felt the familiar throat tightening sensation, his eyes growing wet once more. "I…." he took a shuddered breath and nodded to himself looking up to the woman, his eyes red. "I died."

She nodded slowly and sighed gently. "You did."

"Are you an Angel?" he asked quickly. It seemed like the logical thing to assume. He was dead, in a courtyard with a woman wearing old clothes. It seemed likely. But much to his bemusement, the fair lady laughed and shook her head.

"No, not an angel. Just a woman who died as well. But, well a long time ago. In a different place." She motioned for Daniel to follow her. He did. "I've been here for quite some time. Years. In that time, I've read and learned about many different places and times. Places that might seem fantastical to some, and a commonplace reality to others. A place where the only difference between one place and the other is a green dishtowel as compared to a blue one."

She led him through the center of the courtyard into the halls around it.

"The place I come from is more fantastical when compared to yours."

"What do you mean?" Daniel asked, his brow furrowed as he listened to her speak.

She smiled softly and began again. "Well, let's begin with my name, it's Rowena." She paused and looked unsure for a moment before she seemed to gain her resolve back. "It's Rowena Ravenclaw."

Daniel paused for a moment, stopping in his tracks and giving the woman a cautious glance. He opened his mouth to respond but stopped short of saying anything as any response he could have had seemed to die before it reached his throat.

"It's okay," she said laughing. "I understand there may be some confusion. It is not what some would call, a common name."

Daniels's mind went blank. His jaw had dropped and he let out a disbelieving scoff. He shook his head and turned away rubbing his jaw as he took in the new information. His first thought was that the woman was a liar. There certainly was no plausible way that she could be who she said she was, as Rowena Ravenclaw was a fictitious person. Yet… he was dead. He knew he was dead. What reason would she have to lie? If he and she were both dead, lying meant very little as there was certainly nothing the dead could gain.

He scoffed and turned back toward her, his eyes having far less disbelief and more curiosity.

"You don't believe me," it was a statement rather than a question. She chuckled to herself and nodded. "I understand why. To you, I was simply a character that never had any significance. But if you could for a moment, entertain the idea that I wasn't lying—"

"Then why would you be here talking to me?" he asked.

Her smile turned tight, her head bowed slightly. "Yes. Why indeed. The simple answer. I need your help. To answer your next question, I didn't choose you."

Daniels's eyes narrowed and he looked around the hall almost as if to ask, then who did?

"Death, like most iterations, is a being of its own will. It has its faults and strengths. And it can be wrong. Death was wrong with me once. We had a wager. I won, that is all you'll hear of it. But after a time of exploring all that had been and all that could have been, I felt—regret, no… I felt great sadness over the worlds that contained Hogwarts. In almost all of them, the castle has seen death and destruction. An unfortunate reality. But I know, in my heart I know it does not need to be this way. So, for winning my wager, Death has brought a mortal of his choosing to me. And If you so choose, you will help keep Hogwarts from seeing that destruction."

The weight of what she had said hit Daniel almost as hard as the bus. He saw the passion in her dark blue eyes, the confidence with which she spoke. From how she said it, it seemed so simple. He would go and help, ensure that the world did not cause as much chaos as it had before. But she needed him to do so.

"I… I want to help," he began.

"But?"

"But, I don't know if I'm the right guy. I mean, I'm nobody. I—I'm nothing." He looked back to the tree that stood in the center of the courtyard and shook his head. "I want to help, but, I'm not the guy to help."

He felt a hand touch his arm. He looked back to Rowena and saw her gentle smile as she squeezed his arm.

"I understand that this could seem daunting. That you may feel, unequipped for this. But you were chosen. Despite its reputation death is fair. It may not make sense or seem random and chaotic, but death is fair. And it has chosen you for a reason. Now I ask you, Daniel Lovage, will you help me?"

He closed his eyes. He clutched his hands into fists and took a deep breath before he looked up to the witch.

"I'll help you," He said a sense of pride filling him.

Rowena smiled brilliantly and wrapped her arms around him pulling him into a tight hug. "Thank you," she whispered her voice quivering slightly. "Thank you so much."

"Of course." He whispered back. "Hogwarts has been there for me when I needed it. I should do the same."

He pulled away from the hug and nodded his head, hoping to be down to business before he had lost his nerve.

"So, how should we begin? How do we begin?"

"Close your eyes and count back from five," Rowena said softly.

Daniel nodded and closed his eyes before beginning to count.

"Five."

He felt the warm air around him begin to turn cold.

"Four."

The air became thinner and he felt his breathing hitch as he tried to suck in more air.

"Three."

He felt his body lift off the ground, almost as if he was weightless.

"T—two."

The last word was hard to pronounce.

"O—O—Ooooo," he couldn't even say the final number. His body began to feel strange and cramped. He thrashed his head about and opened his mouth to speak, but then he noticed the most peculiar thing. He had no longer had teeth.

Daniel thrashed his tongue in his mouth quickly. He felt the squishy gums and opened his eyes in a panic. The scenery before him had completely changed. Instead of the warm courtyard, he had been in, he now found himself in a large room.

The ceiling was high, but dark, in fact, most of the room was covered in darkness. He moved his head looking to his right. Of the two things he saw, he noticed the tall glass window first, the bright moon bathing the room in blue light.

The second thing he noticed was his hand. Instead of the long digits connected to the wide palm, he was used to, instead, it was a small short palm, with short fingers to match. He swerved his head down and noticed that his body was also smaller, and swaddled in a blanket.

Closing his eyes, Daniel Lovage wanted to swear but knew that any attempt to speak would simply come out as incoherent baby noises.

It was with begrudging acceptance, that Daniel Lovage knew that he had gone from being dead to a baby in the span of thirty minutes.


	2. A Familiar Life

Daniel was quick to learn that being in the body of a baby was more frustrating than he had ever imagined. It was understandable why they were always so fussy and always crying. It was the only way to signal when something was needed.

Hungry? Cry.

Sleepy? Cry

Need to be changed? Cry.

It was as primitive as could be. But it did indeed work.

It had only taken a few hours for Daniel to learn he was in an orphanage. Where it was, was anyone's guess, but he had been brought up in enough foster homes and homes for boys to realize what an orphanage was.

The matrons seemed nice enough. Though he was only a baby therefore not yet old enough to get into trouble.

His days as a baby seemed to boil down to a simple routine. Crying, feeding, napping. On occasion, he would have a doctor's appointment, and he did catch a cold once, but Daniel's days as a baby were rather limited and routine.

The infant years passed rather quickly for him. Soon his limbs were growing and he was walking on two feet. He no longer required crying to signal what he needed. But as he grew so did the others in the orphanage. And as primitive as babies were, so too were children.

Hierarchies quickly formed. Taller children tried to assume leadership roles, becoming bullies and harassing others. Hoping to stay out of the developing Darwinian situations that were emerging, Daniel had decided that sealing himself off from the others would have been his best route. It had worked to limited success when he was in group homes before.

But as he quickly learned that silence was a sign of weakness, and he had been thrown to the bottom of the orphanage's hierarchy.

* * *

The gears of the bike clinked as Daniel rode through the streets. He coughed and pulled his jacket closer to his body bending his body over the handlebars of the bike, pushing his legs to pedal faster. The bells rang through the town and plenty of the children rushed out of the orphanage chatting and laughing.

He let the wind wash over his face, thankful that his glasses blocked out some of it, as he turned the corner. He pedaled past the various shops and crowded streets of Little Hangleton and towards the outskirts of the town, to a large rundown manner resting on the top of a hill.

He pulled towards a small house near the edge of the property dropping his bicycle on the grass and moving toward the home.

He opened the door, feeling his chilled bones already defrosting as he removed his scarf and coat. Setting the articles on the coat rack by the door he wiped his feet and moved into the home.

"Frank!" He called out moving toward the kitchen. "Frank are you in?"

"Here!" an old voice called out from the kitchen. "I'm in here! Just setting the tea!"

Daniel smiled and entered the kitchen. It was small, crammed more like. Every chair seemed to be constantly in the way, not to mention the small counter made it nearly impossible for two people to sit down together.

The small wood stove was burning hot and Frank stood in the center of the kitchen, hunched over and running his fingers over his mustache, just as he always did when deep in thought. Daniel smiled at the old man, looking up and wringing his hands together to get them warm.

"Heya Frank!" Daniel said moving to stand beside the man.

"Hello, Daniel! Now, I know my hearing going, but did I hear you drop your bicycle on the grass?" Daniel flushed and bowed his head keeping quiet. "Right. I thought I told you to leave it leaning on the side of the house?"

"Sorry Frank," he said. "It won't happen again."

"Right it won't young man. Otherwise, I'll have to drink a whole kettle alone," Frank said as the kettle began to whistle. But as he fetched it and began to pour he looked to Daniel and winked at the boy setting him at ease.

Daniel smiled and took his cup blowing onto it gently before taking a sip. He looked up to Frank, still a bit downtrodden that at eight years old he still wasn't very tall. He was growing still, but to still be smaller than the other boys in the home was still a bit disheartening. Not to mention his voice. Every time he spoke he wanted to rub a cheese grader against his ears.

He sounded so young. Too young. But he decided to simply move through. He was eight, and eight-year-olds sounded annoying.

"So what have we got today Frank?" Daniel asked taking his cup and sitting on the counter.

"What we have today," Frank began before grabbing Daniel and setting him onto a stool, "Is not much. Snows are expected to start tonight, so I won't waste either of our times on mowing if the snow will cover it up anyway."

"So what are we to do?"

Frank laughed and motioned for Daniel to follow him. The rest of the house was almost as cramped as the kitchen. As they moved through, however, Daniel's eye landed on the case that sat on a small side table. It held a small medal with a blue and white striped ribbon. Although he had known, as well as heard from others in the small village, that Frank had flown in the war, seeing the medal always put Daniel in a small state of awe.

Frank opened a door and ushered Daniel in. it was a small room, two large bookshelves adorning the walls and a great oak desk towards the back of the room. Papers were strewn about the room, books stacked in piles on the floor. There was a horrible amount of dust in the air making Daniel cough and wish he could wrap his scarf around his nose.

"I've uh, I've been meaning to clean out the study. I haven't had the time, or the energy if I'm being honest. But with the snows falling, and you here to help, I figured why not." Frank moved behind the desk and took a seat.

"Are you going to help?"

"I'm gonna supervise," Frank pointed out, reaching into his coat and pulling out a wooden pipe. "You're gonna sort through the books and put them on the shelves."

"Half these books are heavier than I am!" Daniel moaned as he looked at a rather hefty tome. "It'll take me a week at least to get through half this mess."

"Hmmm, I see your point Mr. Lovage." Frank chuckled and set the pipe on the desk leaning forward and looking around the room. "I'll tell you what. If you manage to sort through and organize at least one row on each bookcase, I'll tell you a story from the war."

Even though he wasn't eight years old, he was still on some level the person he was before. And that included the part of him that was a history buff. So with more excitement than should be required, Daniel went about stacking and organizing books that very well may have been heavier than he was.

Frank simply smiled and lit his pipe, happy to simply have the boy with him.

* * *

The light from the candle barely burned bright enough for Daniel to read the small printed words. He put his hand underneath his glasses and rubbed his eyes. He let out a tired sigh and closed the book.

His eyes shifted to the wall clock. He winced. It was late. Far too late for him to be out.

The curfew for younger children was six o'clock, and with him being an hour and a half late to get home, he would most certainly be punished.

Standing up and snapping the book closed, Daniel moved away from the table and into the numerous shelves. He scanned through and slid his book into a space missing a book.

"Hello orphan boy," a voice sneered behind him. Daniel froze and mentally cursed himself. "Whatcha doing here?"

Daniel turned, coming face to face with three boys. They were all taller, bigger. They had smirks woven into their faces and the lead boy had his arms crossed.

"Michael," Daniel said. "I'm just reading. I'm just trying to get home."

"You shouldn't be here anyway. Didn't you see the sign out front, no orphans allowed," he and the other boys sniggered.

Daniel bowed his head and tried to push past the boys.

"Ah ah ah! Come on now Orphan boy, we're hanging out."

"It's past curfew," he tried to say.

"Oh come now. Live a little," Michael said holding him in place and lightly slapping his face. "We just wanna talk."

A pit grew in Daniel's stomach and he braced his body for a blow.

* * *

He dragged his feet into the house, his arm was clutching his bruised torso. His nose was dripping blood onto his jacket. His breath shuddered and he was grateful that most of the caretakers would be asleep, otherwise his bad day would turn worse.

He moved to the stairs, his body aching as he lifted his legs up and used the railing to pull his body up. He was thankful that he was ten. Anyone younger than ten didn't get their own room, instead of having to share a communal area where everyone slept.

Halfway up his lungs began stinging with every breath. Grinding his teeth he forced himself up. He bit his tongue trying to keep himself from groaning. He managed to get to the top, his nose had stopped bleeding, though he was sure he left a trail from the front door to the top of the stairs.

"Daniel?" A voice whispered. He sighed, stopping and looking to his left.

A girl stood off to the side, she wore a white nightdress and was frowning at him. Daniel closed his eyes and forced a bloody smile.

"Ellie," he said. "Go back to bed."

She walked forward quickly, taking his arm and pulling him from the stairs.

"What happened?" She demanded, dragging him through the hall. She passed a few doors and pulled him into a small room.

It was the size of a closet. A small bed and a dresser on one side of the room and a desk pushed to the side. She sat Daniel down on the bed and looked down at him.

"What happened?" She demanded again.

"Nothing." He said bowing his head. He had been older, he had been years older, yet after years of being a baby, treated as the age he had been, he seemed to have regressed. His mind was sharp as it had ever been, yet he was a child all the same. "It's nothing."

Ellie sighed and grasped his hand pulling it up. She observed the knuckles and noticed the broken skin. She shook her head and moved to her armoire. She rattled through digging through and reaching the bottom until she managed to pull out an old shirt.

It was small, too small for how tall she was. It seemed too small for anyone. She gripped the fabric and tore pulling it apart easily. She knelt before him and began to wrap his knuckles. Daniel grit his teeth and hissed, closing his eyes as his poped knuckles stung against the fabric.

"Was it Michael?" She asked gripping any strip of fabric and tying it off on his other hand.

"Yes."

"Where?"

He closed his eyes and sucked down a gulp of air. He could feel his throat closing up, his eyes beginning to sting.

"It doesn't matter." He croaked.

"It does."

He scoffed and stood up slowly his body still aching and begging for rest.

"Not when it's us." He left to his own bed, shambling and trying to keep his tears in.

* * *

Daniel wiped the sweat from his brow, taking a rest in the shade, panting as Frank handed him a glass of water.

"Lawn is looking magnificent," Frank laughed before taking a seat.

"Why am I getting paid barely anything for doing all the work?" Daniel panted as he stared out at the lawn

"I'm supervising," they both said before chuckling.

"Besides," Frank said alone, "my knee is beginning to go. Doctors told me I'll need a wheelchair in a few years."

"I thought you didn't trust doctors?"

"I don't," Frank said. "This one said I'd need a wheelchair at the end of the year. So I'm giving myself a few."

"Excuse me!' Frank and Daniels heads turned quickly. Both of them confused, as no one had ever come to the old Riddle manor for anything. Other than to bother Frank, or young couples hoping for a moment alone.

But coming up to the small house Frank inhabited, was a woman wearing the strangest clothes either of them had seen. But suddenly, a switch clicked in Daniels mind. The woman was still walking, but he caught a glimpse of her face. _McGonagall_ , he thought a sense of excitement bubbling up in him.

"Hello?" Frank said walking over to meet her. Daniel hung back behind Frank. "Hello, May I help ya ma'am?"

The woman stopped short of reaching Frank and smiled politely.

"Hello sir, I am Professor McGonagall. I have been to Hangleton Children's Home looking for a Daniel Lovage, but they told me I could find him here. Would you be Mr. Frank Bryce?"

"I am," Frank nodded but eyed her suspiciously. He glanced over to Daniel then back to her. "What do you want with 'im? You called yourself a professor? You from some sort of school?"

"Indeed I am," McGonagall answered. "Our school has taken an interest in Mr. Lovage. We're hoping that he would be willing to attend."

Frank looked at her and then back to Daniel sending the boy a questioning glance. Trying to seem unsure, he shrugged and nodded.

Frank nodded as well and looked back to McGonagall. "Right, I suppose you'll want to come in. Can I offer ya' tea?"

"Yes thank you," the three walked into the cramped house, Frank showing McGonagall to the living room. She and Daniel sat, Frank, said he'd be back and left for the kitchen to set the kettle.

Alone with McGonagall Daniel smiled shyly and ducked his head, unsure if he should speak first. He was thankfully saved by her when she cleared her throat and began to speak.

"If I may ask, why are you here and not at the children's home?"

"I, well, I work here. I help Frank with some of the work and he pays me."

"I see," McGonagall said nodding. "Well, as I told Mr. Bryce, my name is Professor McGonagall. I'm from a special school. We wish for you to attend."

"Why me?" He asked. "I'm not that special."

McGonagall smiled and was about to reply when Franks's heavy footsteps echoed into the room. He entered the room two cups of tea in his hands. He smiled, a bit unsure of himself and set the mugs down.

"I, well I wasn't sure how you took it," he said quietly.

"It's fine, thank you," McGonagall said, her smile thin.

Frank nodded and looked around before taking the seat next to Daniel.

"So, uhh, this school your from, what's uh, well what is it exactly?" Frank asked.

"It's a place for special people. For special people just like Daniel here. You see—"

"Now just wait a damned minute!" Frank said, his voice rising and face going red. "Now look here, I'm not sure who told you what, but he's not, well, he is a special boy, a good boy. But he ain't, you know, _special_. Sure he can be a little slow on the uptake, but I'll be damned if I let you sit here and talk about my—about him, like that."

Both McGonagall and Daniel sat wide-eyed for a moment, surprised at Franks outburst. Daniel smiled at the protectiveness with which Frank spoke. It made his mouth twitch upward a bit. But then he ran through the small outburst and looked over to Frank. _The hell does he mean slow on the uptake?_

McGonagall recovered fast however and cleared her throat before she began again. "Mr. Bryce I assure you that the school I represent is not a place for children such as that. We are however a school for the gifted. And boys, as well as girls much like Daniel, are invited to attend this institute."

Franks's face went from red with anger to embarrassment. "O—oh. Well… right. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to… I'm sorry."

"It is fine Mr. Bryce. But I must say, that this school is not a typical school."

"What you mean?"

"It is a school for the gifted. The magical." McGonagall finished with a smile.

"Magical?" both Frank and Daniel said.

"Indeed. Ah, I can already see Mr. Bryce is skeptical. Perhaps a demonstration?" Frank looked over at Daniel when McGonagall pulled out her want. He had a look that said, _Maybe she's the one that's_ special.

But with the flick of her wrist, a bright flaming bird shot out from her wand. It screeched and flew through the room, it's flaming wings touching everything but burning nothing. It flapped its wings and sent a strong gust of wind through the room before screeching and flying towards the ceiling. Its beak touched the roof, and then poof. It had disappeared as if it had never been there.

Frank and Daniel turned their shocked faces towards McGonagall, eyes wide and jaws nearly on the floor.

Leaning forward, Daniel cleared his throat. "When do I start?


	3. To Hogwarts

Diagon Alley was a flurry of activity. People were milling about and chattering animatedly in every corner of the street. Daniel couldn't stop grinning at everything around him. He laughed at the different creatures and the assortment of colorful robes that the various wizards wore.

McGonagall led him quickly through the street. The crowd seemed to part before her with every step she took. She had taken him to Gringotts and helped get money from a lone vault. She had explained to him that due to his status, he was allowed a certain scholarship. It wasn't much, only a few galleons, but supposedly enough to get him a wand and all his books.

He had already been fitted for his robes, McGonagall had managed to find a few books for him while he was being fitted. But as they continued walking, a sign stuck out to Daniel and he felt a smile spread on his face.

_Ollivander's_. He looked to McGonagall then back to the sign and felt excitement and a nervous pit forming in his stomach.

"You wish to get your wand?" McGonagall said smiling at the boy. He nodded and his fingers twitched. "Well then go on in. I shall go and get the last of your books. If I am not back when you are finished, wait outside the shop. Do not use your wand after you obtain it."

He nodded at her stern turn of voice before rushing off toward the wand shop. He entered the wand shop, finding it empty, he took a few steps towards the counter and twisted his head around, searching for, Ollivander in the stacks of wand boxes. He frowned and hoped that he had not missed the wandmaker, but then why would he have left his wand shop unlocked has he left— _ **Thump!**_

Daniel jumped and his eyes went wide as Ollivander rolled into sight on a rolling ladder attached to the shelves.

"Hello there," Olivander said, smiling and climbing down from the ladder. He took a few hobbling steps toward the counter. "May I have your name, sir?"

"Uhh, yes sir, of course, sir. My name is Daniel, Daniel Lovage," he said, his voice quivering slightly and a feeling of excited nerves coming over him.

"Excellent! May I see your wand arm," he asked. Daniel nodded and held out his right arm. Ollivander drew measuring tape from his coat pocket, the tape springing out and wrapping itself around his arm. Ollivander nodded and went into the back of the room, the sound of shuffling and boxes falling to the ground before he returned with a box. "Try this one, Laurel with Dragon Heartstring, thirteen inches swishy, good for charms,"

Daniel took the wand and nodded. Waving it around there was a crack sounding through the air and a vase of flowers was suddenly set on fire. Ollivander was quick to snatch the wand out of his hands and quickly put out the fire. "No, I don't think that one will do."

He returned to the back. The sounds of shuffling and rustling papers sounded back and soon Ollivander had returned.

"Ebony, Unicorn hair, twelve and a quarter inches, slightly springy, excellent for transfiguration." Daniel took the wand and waved it. A shelf began to sway dozens of boxes rushing out and spilling onto the floor. Dust kicked up and Daniel turned his head, shielding his eyes from the wave of dust.

He felt Ollivander snatch the wand from his hand and turned back to see the old wandmaker setting it back into the box. He seemed to think for a second before nodding to himself and moving to the back of the shop muttering and chatting with himself about how he felt he had it.

Returning with a beaming smile he set a disty box in front of him and pulled out a lightly colored wand, offering it to Daniel.

He took it and held the wand lightly. He felt a warm feeling where his hand connected to the wood, a tingling almost. He smiled and gave it a small wave. Bright blue sparks flew out of the end of the wand bringing a smile to both his and Olivanders face.

"Well I do believe you have a match," the wandmaker said beaming. "Quite a good one I believe as well. The wand is Applewood with a phoenix feather core, thirteen inches, and supple. Use it wisely."

Daniel laughed and nodded vigorously as he held the wand in his hand. He twirled it in his hand and pulled out a few galleons to pay. He pulled out eight, all that McGonagall had given him, and left the shop, wand in his pocket, his right hand gripping in.

Professor McGonagall was waiting for him and led him away from the Diagon Alley. As great as if had been to see, he needed to get home.

* * *

Frank was quick to bombard Daniel with questions. The man had not been allowed to go as he was not Daniel's guardian, therefore not allowed to go. He was even lucky that McGonagall had allowed him to be in the demonstration when she used magic.

Daniel was quick to tell him of Diagon Alley. He spoke of the strange robes, exotic aminals, all the owls he had seen, the magical brooms meant for flying at breakneck speeds. He showed Frank his wand, telling him he would not be able to use it, as it was illegal, and he had no knowledge as to how to actually perform magic.

Frank, though confused, simply nodded his head and brought Daniel back to the study.

"So, you'll be leaving soon then?" Frank asked.

"Professor McGonagall told me that she would come and take me to London in a week. Apparently the train taking me and the others leaves out of Kings Cross."

Frank nodded, his eyes were downcast and he sniffed moving his hand to rub his face.

"I—I uh, could take you if ya' want," Frank said offering.

"You don't have a car." He laughed, though his smile didn't reach his eyes, nor the joke lighten the air. "I'm gonna be alright Frank."

"I know," Frank said. "But, you're gonna be off doing lord knows what."

"Frank it's a school. I'm just gonna be learning how to use Magic."

Frank sighed and nodded his head quickly. "Yeah, yeah I know. I just… will you be coming back for holidays?"

Daniel nodded. "Course. We haven't missed a Christmas together since I was six."

"The Matrons over there always did get mad that you snuck out to come and see me." Frank laughed and looked up, his eyes were beginning to show red and he smiled at the fond memories. "Well, don't let me keep you then. You need to get back to the home. What did the Matrons say about you getting accepted to the school?"

"Shocked. Though they didn't think it was a special school like you did," Daniel chuckled.

"It was the phrasing. And I tried to defend you. Granted it was unnecessary."

Daniel shook his head and sat down on one of the torn leather chairs Frank kept in the study. Looking forward he noticed the chessboard and smiled looking over to the man.

"How about a game?"

Frank laughed and to his seat across from Daniel. "A game? Doesn't a game always lead to two or three?"

"Set up the pieces," Daniel said as Frank pulled out a wooden bo, pulling out small white and black pieces.

* * *

It wasn't past curfew when he arrived. Plenty of children were still lounging around the common areas, there was chatter and laughter. He didn't stay with them though. He moved up the stairs, sighing as he reached the top, turning left and coming face to face with a wooden door. He knocked gently as he could and waited.

Ellie opened the door, smiling and motioning him in.

"You're back. I thought Ms. Green said you'd be in London until tomorrow," Ellie said walking into her room and taking a seat on her bed.

"The appointment ended early. Got back in time for me to have a chat with Frank."

Ellie laughed and raised an eyebrow at him. "Frank the Riddle Murderer. Why is it you like hanging out with a murderer again?"

"He didn't do it. And he's nice."

"He never said a word when you took me to see him."

"He takes a while to warm up to anyone," he paused and shook his head. "Not important. Look, I just wanted to come by and talk to you for a moment."

Ellie rolled her eyes and leaned back on the bed. "I already know. Everyone does. You should know as well as anyone—"

"Walls here are paper-thin," he finished. "How long you known?"

"Since that lady first came by a week ago looking for you."

Daniel looked away scratching the back of his head. He had hoped that she hadn't known. Ellie hadn't made any indication that she had known.

"I'm sorry."

Ellie shrugged and laid back on her bed staring up at the ceiling. "Greg Hornby told me. Said Mrs. Brandons was sending you away because of the trouble you're always getting into with Michael Erin."

"Greg Hornbry's always been an idiot. And so's Michael Erin." Daniel said moving to the bed and sitting down by Ellie's feet. "Look, Ellie, I am gonna be going away, but, I'll visit. I'll be back for holidays, and the summer."

"I know," she said smiling thingly as she sat up. "It's just gonna be awful not having my friend here."

"Least you won't have to go patching me up after run-ins with Michael."

Ellie snorted and shook her head. "Yeah, that might clear up some of my evenings. But, still. I'll miss you."

Patting her leg and standing up he moved to the door, pausing and looking back. "It's not forever. Besides, it's just school."

* * *

Kings Cross was rather empty. Professor McGonagall had brought him early. Being as short as he was, he had to look up at nearly every one. He felt rather annoyed but pushed on. He would hit a growth spurt in a few years, was what he told himself.

"Now, here is your ticket," McGonagall said holding out a thin strip of paper. "Now, before you ask, the entrance to Platform Nine and Three Quarters is between platforms nine and ten. Simply all you must do is walk through the stone barrier. Before you object, it is enchanted. You will not crash, simply go through the barrier and to Platform Nine and Three Quarters."

He nodded and took the ticket with a heavy and exciting breath. McGonagall smiled reassuringly at him and continued to walk him to the barrier. There was hardly anyone around, alleviating his nerves a bit. McGonagall patted his back and motioned him to go forth.

Taking a breath, Daniel sped his legs up and pushed forward. The brick wall got closer, he bit the inside of his lip and kept going, his grip on the luggage trolley turning his knuckles white. The front of the trolley reached the wall and Daniels's eyes went wide when it seemed to be swallowed by the brick.

He closed his eyes and allowed his body to follow through feeling a cold shiver fill his body before he felt it pass. New noises and voices filled his ears, people laughing and speaking loudly all around him. He opened his eyes slowly, a creeping smile working onto his face.

The scarlet steam engine, with dozens of passenger cars in tow, stood before him. Wizards with outlandishly colored robes stood around him, they stood with children and spoke to them, giving hugs and ushering them onto the train. Daniel looked around him and his smile faltered a bit wishing Frank could have been there but moved forward.

He took his trunk of the trolley and placed the trolley in the designated area.

Maneuvering through the Hogwarts Express proved more challenging than he had initially thought. Older years seemed to care very little of the younger years, not moving out of their way or offering much in the way of help. But Daniel managed to slug through the cramped halls of the rail cars eventually finding a lone cabin.

He sighed and entered, throwing his trunk onto the rack above his seat. He smiled, nodding before sinking into his seat and let his body relax, though what he would have preferred was to jump up and dance in excitement, he had managed to contain himself, however.

He looked out of the window, to the many smiling and laughing faces of the families below. He frowned a bit, a pang of sadness running through him. It seemed he was not very lucky when it came to families. He hadn't been fortunate to have one before he had been in this world. Then he had woken up in an orphanage again.

More people had begun to arrive, filling the station with happiness and laughter. Jealousy aimed at no one, in particular, was flowing through him again. He shook his head and drew the curtain blocking out the happy scenes instead, shifting his body to the door, at a more achievable goal.

Students laughed and greeted each other happily. They hugged and laughed, running towards each other smiles never leaving their faces. Daniel nodded to himself as he saw that. It was achievable. It was certainly something he could have in this lifetime. Besides, he had Ellie. His confidant and partner in surviving the streets of LIttle Hangelton.

Several students would walk past the cabin, looking in before rushing off, at least the older years did that. The younger years would look in, and observe for a moment as if trying to gage Daniel before shaking their heads and pushing onward in search of a different cabin.

The minutes ticked by and Daniel sat silently. He had fetched a book from his trunk and had settled himself by the window to read. His fingers flipped the yellow pages of the torn book, his eyes scanning the letters, but with every flash of movement he saw in the corners of his eyes, he would look, only to see someone passing on the cabin.

The train rocked and he heard good-bye's being shouted from the window, the outline of waves from the drawn curtains. He sighed again and turned his eyes to his book before he heard clicking from ahead. He snapped his head up and saw the latch turned on the door. Not to mention, the familiar yet unfamiliar sight of round spectacles and a scarred forehead.

He swallowed and sat up as Harry Potter entered the cabin, carrying his heavy trunk.

"H—Hello," Harry said, looking around the cabin as if there might have been some hidden person within. "I, well I was wondering if perhaps I could sit here. Everywhere else is full."

Daniel nodded and motioned for him to come in. "Of course. Come on in. I got plenty of room, as ya' can see."

Harry smiled a bit and dragged in the trunk. Together they managed to get it into the luggage rack, though it left them both a bit red-faced. Sitting down, they took seats opposite one another along the window.

"I'm Harry by the way. Harry Potter," Harry held out his hand and Daniel smiled taking it eagerly.

"Names Daniel Lovage," he took back his hand and leaned into the seat. "So, uh, is all this new to you as well?"

Harry nodded and looked around the cabin as well. "It is. Turns out my parents were wizards though. I had no idea!"

"How?"

"They died when I was young. I grew up with my relatives."

"Sounds fun."

"Not really. What about you?"

Daniel shrugged. "I'm new. My parents might have been wizards I guess, but I never met them."

"What do you mean?"

"Oh well, my parents were," Daniel paused and swallowed nervously and looked around before shaking his head. "I grew up with my aunt. She never married, and well it was lonely growing up."

Being an orphan had always bothered Daniel. As if it was a source of shame for him. A pit that he would never escape. A label that would forever be plastered on his forehead for all to see. Even though Harry was technically an Orphan, he still had plenty of people that would have taken him in, for all of his lives from foster home to foster home, boys home to boys home, it was something that he wished he could cast off. And in this regressed state that he found himself in, a boy of eleven years trying to struggle with the mind of the man inside him, it was a complicated mindset. He was young, yet at the same time, he wasn't. It was a constant battle in his mind to try and find a balance between who he was before and himself now.

He looked back to Harry and was about to speak again but was cut off when the door to the cabin was opened, and a familiar redhead entered the cabin.

"Hi, everywhere else is full. Would you two mind if I..."

"Not at all," Daniel said motioning for the boy to join them.

Ron entered the cabin grinning and took the seat next to him. "I'm Ron by the way. Ron Weasley."

Harry and Daniel introduced themselves and Ron acted how he normally did. Amazed that Harry was who he said he was. Harry and Daniel sat and listened to Ron go on about how he was with the great Harry Potter before the boy managed to gain some semblance of self-control.

Together the three sat as the train approached Hogwarts. Until the door opened once more, and Hermione Granger entered.


	4. The House of Ravenclaw

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I won't lie the Hermione entrance is underwhelming. All the scenes I wrote turned out really crappy. I apologize, but don't worry, Hermione will play a large part of this story. Well, I guess you shouldn't worry if you like Hermione.

"Has anyone seen a toad? Neville's lost one," Hermione asked in a bossy voice.

"Sorry," Daniel said shaking his head and shrugging. "We've just been in here."

Harry and Ron responded by nodding along with what Daniel had said, but that didn't seem to satisfy the girl. Hermione sighed and pushed into the cart rolling her eyes. She looked around and seemed to be giving the compartment a thorough glance over as if the boys had given her.

"Hey, we said that we hadn't seen the bloody thing!" Ron shouted throwing his arms out indignantly.

"I'm just being sure!" Hermione insisted.

Ron rolled his eyes and looked to Harry mouthing something Daniel couldn't see, but made Harry laugh. Daniel chuckled at the reaction and looked back to Hermione shaking his head at the girl's actions.

"We weren't lying," Daniel said more amused than annoyed.

Hermione glared at him anyway and turned up her nose as she walked away.

_As far as first impressions go_ , Daniel thought as Hermione slammed the door of the cabin, _I've definitely done worse._

He looked to Harry and Ron and flashed them a thin smile. "Well, she seems great."

* * *

Daniel breathed out a heavy sigh of nervousness as he and the others were led into the Great Hall. He pulled at the stiff collar of his shirt, his eyes glancing around at the other first years. They were walking, glancing around and wide-eyed at the enchanted ceiling and floating candles. Some waved at older siblings, though he noticed Ron kept his head down avoiding looking over at his siblings.

The group followed McGonagall toward the front of the Great Hall. A stool and the dusty old sorting hat stood on their own. An excited fluttering was in his stomach, he smiled and looked to Harry who seemed to match his excitement and nervousness.

They came to a stop just shy of the stool and McGonagall went to the hat for a few seconds, there was complete silence. Then the hat twitched. A rip near the brim opened wide like a mouth - and the hat began to sing:

" _Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,  
But don't judge on what you see,  
I'll eat myself if you can find  
A smarter hat than me.  
You can keep your bowlers black,  
Your top hats sleek and tall,  
For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat  
And I can cap them all.  
There's nothing hidden in your head  
The Sorting Hat can't see,  
So try me on and I will tell you  
Where you ought to be.  
You might belong in Gryffindor,  
Where dwell the brave at heart,  
Their daring, nerve, and chivalry  
Set Gryffindors apart;  
You might belong in Hufflepuff,  
Where they are just and loyal,  
Those patient Hufflepuffs are true  
And unafraid of toil;  
Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw, if you've a ready mind,  
Where those of wit and learning,  
Will always find their kind;  
Or perhaps in Slytherin  
You'll make your real friends,  
Those cunning folk use any means  
To achieve their ends.  
So put me on! Don't be afraid!  
And don't get in a flap!  
You're in safe hands (though I have none)  
For I'm a Thinking Cap!"_

The hall burst into applause and Daniel saw the hat bow to all four of the houses. In his mind, he began to remember certain details. It had been so long, so many years, since he had read any of the books that the information was beyond fuzzy. But being in the hall, certain things came back to him slowly.

He heard Ron curse his brothers as he realized that all that was required was to simply put on a hat. Daniel laughed and looked over the four tables seeing the smiling and excited faces of the students as McGonagall began to call names for sorting.

He listened, trying to remember the names and which houses they went to. It seemed in order but Daniel made a mental note to try and write down everything he remembered about the story before he went to bed that evening.

"Lovage, Daniel!" McGonagall called out from her list.

Daniel looked over to Harry and flashed a smile. He raised a fist and Harry nodded bumping it with his own fist. Daniel walked forward, smiling at the chair and the hat that McGonagall held. He closed his eyes and felt the hat get draped over his head.

"Hmmm, interesting, very interesting. You seem to have a touch of the Founders in you boy." Daniel swallowed nervously as he heard the hat whisper into his ear. "You've got talent, and a touch of destiny. Hmmm, I wish to put you in Gryffindor, but you bear a mark…"

The har trailed off and Daniel furrowed his eyebrows as he fidgeted in the seat.

"Yes… yes… You must go to," the hat paused and then shouted, "Ravenclaw!"

He felt his heart leap and smiled as the hat was pulled off. Daniel looked at Harry and nodded before rushing off to the cheering table. He felt many pats on the shoulder and heard so many people congratulate him.

Taking his seat by the other sorted Ravenclaw first years he noted several nods and shy smiles. He returned them quickly before looking back to the sorting and waiting for it to continue.

Malfoy went to Slytherin. Harry and Ron. to Gryffindor. The rest Daniel didn't pay too much attention to. Except when a Ravenclaw was called out and he would stand and cheer with the rest of his new Housemates.

Albus Dumbledore had gotten to his feet. He was beaming at the students, his arms opened wide as if nothing could have pleased him more than to see them all there.

"Welcome," he said. "Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak! Thank you!"

Food sprang into being onto the dishes before him. The plates were stacked high with all manner of meals, from roast beef to roast potatoes. Daniel grinned at all of it before him and licked his lips before he began to select an assortment from what was presented.

He glanced around the table and saw the young faces of the first years. The boy next to him seemed to glance around a bit timidly and nibbled on the small portion of food he had served himself. He looked up at Daniel and smiled shyly, which Daniel returned before offering his hand.

"Daniel Lovage," he said.

"Terry Boot!" Terry said shaking Daniels's hand enthusiastically.

"Grand to meet ya' Terry!"

"Same! It's exciting though, isn't it? Being here in Hogwarts finally!" Terry grinned as he glanced up at the high ceiling. "My brother always told me about this place, my dad too! But it's amazing actually being here! Do you have any siblings? What house were your parents?"

Daniel laughed at Terry's enthusiasm and shook his head. "No, my parents did come to Hogwarts. And I don't have any siblings."

Terry nodded. "Oh! So you're a Muggleborn then?"

"I am."

"Well, welcome to the wizarding world!" Terry laughed raising a cup.

"Thanks, Terry!" Daniel said clinking his glass to Terry's. Overhearing their introductions, the other first years began to make their own introductions.

"I'm a pure-blood myself," Stephen Cornfoot said with a grin. "My parents own an apothecary in Diagon Alley. Been in the family for years."

"Suppose you'll be grand at potions then," Terry pointed out.

"Wouldn't be so sure. My ma' always tried to teach me, the only thing I learned was how to melt cauldrons and blow things up." Stephen held up his right hand and showed that his palm was scared by multiple burns. "I never did get the hang of it all."

The others gawked at his scars and began asking a million and one questions as to what had happened to him. Stephen answered easily, laughing at some of the questions.

Michael Corner sat off beside Stephen, giving the boy a strange look and eyes the scars a bit warily before he shook his head.

"Well, I'm a half-blood too. My dad's the Wizard, he was a Ravenclaw, always wanted me to follow. Said it was the best house, no matter what the Gryffindor's said," Michael laughed and leaned forward. "If I'm being honest, I always knew I was gonna be in Ravenclaw. Brains are in my family's blood."

Daniel scoffed at that but kept his thoughts to himself. His mind couldn't come up with any useful information about Michael Corner so he kept his head down and mouth shut.

Slowly the feast went on. The first years continued to talk and laugh together, trading names and shaking hands. But slowly the feast and the chatter began to wind down. Eyes grew heavy and when the last of the deserts had been eaten Dumbledore stood up.

He spoke to the students, warning them of the Forbidden Forrest as well as the third-floor corridor. He had the students recite the school song which left the Ravenclaw first years laughing amongst themselves as the entire hall was off-key and finished at different times. With that, he whisked the students away sending them off to bed.

The older years in the hall got up first, many moving and shoving their way out of the hall.

"First years stay seated!" Daniel looked to his left. A taller blonde girl had stood up and shouted over the mass of students to stay seated. She wore a silver pin with a capital " _P_ ". "First years stay seated, once everyone's out I'll show you to Ravenclaw Tower!"

The crowd died as quickly as it had formed. The older prefect moved away from the table and beckoned the first years to do the same.

"Alright firsties, follow me!" she began to lead them through the corridors of the castle. Daniel looked around at the amazing space that surrounded them. The moving pictures, the moving marble staircases. They moved through several corridors, Daniel making mental notes as to which turns they took, trying to remember where the prefect was leading them too. He found them climbing a spiral staircase, the white marble tiles shining in the moonlight, let in by high windows. He could see the grounds around Hogwarts and gasped as he moved his legs.

Eventually, they came to the top of the staircase, to a large oak door. A bronze Eagle knocker sat affixed onto the door.

"Welcome first years," the blonde prefect said smiling. "Now my name is Penelope Clearwater. To start off, this is the entrance to our common room. Now unlike the other houses, we don't have a password to get into our common room. Instead, we have this."

Penelope motioned to the knocker and tapped it with her wand. The bronze eagle shifted and moved its head so its sapphire eyes gazed out at the students. It moved it's head to Penelope and opened its beak.

"Tear off one and scratch its head, what was once red, now black instead."

Penelope thought for a moment before smiling. "A matchstick."

The eagle shifted into a knocker once more and then the door opened. She motioned the first years into the common room. They glanced around at the wide circular room, moonlight flowing in through the high windows. Tapestries embroidered with the Eagle of Ravenclaw (Daniel had to wonder why Ravenclaw had not simply made her sigil a Raven) decorated the walls.

"What you saw was the entrance to our common room. It's a riddle that you must answer. If not, you can't come into the common room until someone opens the door from inside or another person comes along to answer the riddle. Which is why I recommend that all of your travel in pairs. Better chances of you not being stranded outside all night. Now I recommend that you all go off and get a good night's rest. Tomorrow is a big day and you're all going need as much energy as you can get. The entrance to your dormitories is just past the statue of Rowena Ravenclaw herself."

Penelope motioned towards the back and the first years all turned their heads. A tall statue of Romena Ravenclaw stood by itself. Daniel smiled as he saw that it was amazingly accurate. He had always remembered the woman that had spoken to him when he was dead. He had seen her occasionally in his dreams, though it had been near two years since that had happened.

Daniel moved toward the dormitory, chatting amicably with Terry Boot. They both spoke about their excitement on coming to Hogwarts. Terry seemed absolutely eager to start Transfiguration. But as they drew closer they began to fight yawns.

It wasn't long before they had collapsed on their beds, sleeping soundly, their adventure about to begin.

* * *

The Great Hall was noisy with chatter, it seemed strange for it being so early in the morning. Daniel sat next to Terry, both eating their breakfast slowly as more and more students filtered into the Hall.

Penelope Clearwater had instructed the first years to remain at the table until Professor Flitwick had come to them and given them their timetables.

So, there they all sat, talking amongst themselves and waiting for breakfast to end.

Daniel had noticed Michael Corner sitting off to the side with two of the other Ravenclaw boys that he had met the night previous. Kevin Entwhistle and Anthony Goldstein. The boys sat together and seemed to be getting along, though it appeared that they were already closed off from the others in their year.

_Hierarchies and cliques_ , Daniel thought. Just as in the orphanages they seemed to form rapidly.

"So what class are you most excited about?" Terry asked before gulping down his glass of pumpkin juice. Daniel grimaced and pushed his own glass away. It was far too sweet for his taste.

"I think charms," Daniel said. "I mean, all the different things we'll be able to do with them. It's almost unreal."

Terry laughed and nodded his head. "I know! I mean I grew up with my dad always doing magic and it still always blows me away."

"Muggles," Daniel and Terry whipped their heads around and saw Michael Corner laughing at whatever it was that had been said between him, Anthony, and Kevin. He narrowed his eyes but kept his mouth shut, turning around and looking back at Terry.

"Don't worry about it," Stephen said pushing his plate forward and leaning over toward the two. "They just think they're funny. Give it some time and they'll be alright. My dad said that's how it was when he went. Most people would make fun of the muggles but not really mean it. He said it was harmless for the most part. 'Xcept when it was Slytherins."

"I'm not even muggle-born," Terry said shrugging. "I'm half and half."

Daniel shrugged as well. Unable to reply as Professor Flitwick had arrived carrying with him a box filled with slips of parchment.

"Greeting Frist years," he squeaked out, setting the box on the table bench before climbing up himself. He stood and cleared his throat clasping his hands behind his back. "I am Professor Flitwick your head of house, and I would like to welcome all of you into Ravenclaw. I understand that it might be difficult to transition from being at home to being here. So, I would like to assure all of you that my door is always open should you require anything at all. Now I do believe that you will need your schedules if you are to know what classes you are to take."

He dug through the box, handing out schedules to the students. Daniel grinned as he clasped his hands around his. He skimmed through, seeing who he had classes with. In his mind, he noticed some changes. He noticed that the classes seemed to be mixed for the most part. Charms, Herbology, Transfiguration, they all seemed to be with a mixture of all the houses rather than being only two at a time. His eyes skimmed to potions where he noticed that the class seemed to be the only one he shared exclusively with Hufflepuffs.

He supposed it made sense. Potions were rather dangerous if the burn marks on Stephen Cornfoots hands were anything to go by. Most likely it was separated for the extra supervision.

Standing up the first years thanked Professor Flitwick and he sent them off to find their classes.

Looking over at Terry Daniel smiled and patted the boy's shoulder, the two of them going off into the castle, eager to begin their magical journey.


	5. Cerberus, Alchemists, and Orphans

Routine had settled in quickly. Wake up, breakfast, classes.

Daniel would have found the entire thing mundane had it not been for the fact that he was taking notes on Transfiguration and learning wand movements to levitate objects. As a child, he had always been a dedicated student. A mantra that had been repeated by so many teachers and caretakers had been that getting into a good college would allow him to thrive. So, he had been studious, and it seemed to transcend lives.

Potions had gone as expected. Snape was vindictive towards both the Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws, though it seemed toned down as he had no Slytherins to give points. Not to say he didn't take points away from them, but it certainly wasn't as drastic from what he had heard from Ron and Harry.

Daniel had managed to stay close to the boys. He was able to sit with them during Charms and Transfiguration, talk with them in between lessons. He was glad that he had wormed his way into their good graces. They were good people, kind, funny, and they seemed genuine in their friendship.

Daniel smirked to himself as he thought of all the friendships he had begun at Hogwarts. He turned his head and laughed with the other boys around him. They were all on their way to their first flight lesson.

Terry could not stop talking about how much he enjoyed flying, he spoke on how his dad had taken him flying on a broomstick when he was younger. Then how his brother and him would race in the summers.

"Not to brag," Terry said puffing out his chest and striking a pose, "but I imagine I'll be a top rate flyer!"

"Not a chance!" Ron shouted, laughing and nudging Terry forward. "I've been flying for years! Fred and George are on the Quidditch team as beaters! Charlie was a seeker! Guaranteed I'll be flying before any of you!"

Daniel shook his head and nudged Harry. "How much will ya' bet that neither are the first to mount their brooms?"

"A Galleon," Harry laughed.

The four boys made it down the sloping lawns toward a smooth, flat lawn on the opposite side of the grounds to the forbidden forest, whose trees were swaying darkly in the distance. They arrived at the broomsticks just as their teacher, Madam Hooch, arrived. She was a rather tall woman, though her yellow eyes unnerved Daniel a bit.

"Well, what are you all waiting for?" she barked. "Everyone, stand by a broomstick. Come on, hurry up."

Daniel took a position beside Terry. The brooms were nothing special. Old and seemed to be mostly twigs attached to a thicker and longer piece of wood.

"Stick out your right hand over your broom," called Madam Hooch at the front, "and say 'Up!'"

"UP!" everyone shouted.

Daniel's face lit up in a smile and he cried out the word. His broom jumped into his hand. He cried out in excitement and looked over at terry who was beaming at the broom in his hand. Not everyone's brooms had shot up, however. Some rolled around on the ground and some grew frustrated, demanding their brooms fly up into their hands.

Daniel grinned as a sense of déjà vu came over him. The scene played out in a familiar way, he nodded when Malfoy took Neville's Remembrall when Harry had chased him down for it.

In fact, as time passed slowly more and more things had begun to happen that Daniel remembered. It wasn't easy to remember though. It was as if his memories were encased in a sealed box, his mind foggy about every aspect of what could be in there, only certain on a few events.

After dinner one evening he had rushed off to the library seeking seclusion. He had found a nice empty desk and began to write. He wrote down everything he could remember. He wrote down the events of the years, the main plot points; philosophers stone, chamber of secrets, etc. but as he scribbled out the name, _Prisoner of Azkaban_ he stopped. Pausing for a moment.

_Peter Pettigrew_ , Daniel thought. _Scabbers_. Scratching the back of his head Daniel nodded to himself. He grinned at shoved the parchment into his pocket moving into the rows of books.

His eyes roamed over the identifying signs on the rows. He passed so many rows of Charms, and Alchemy, not to mention a half-dozen other subjects before his eyes set sight on Transfiguration. Grinning he turned into a row quickly his eyes set on the spines of the books.

He felt his chest collide with someone.

A shriek went out and Daniel felt himself lose his balance before he was sent tumbling to the floor. He groaned as he sat up, his head aching but otherwise uninjured.

"Damn," He said standing up and walking over to who he had bumped into offering them his. "Sorry about that. I wasn't looking where I was going."

"I'd imagine so," Hermione Granger said. She took Daniel's hand and was pulled to her feet. "What on earth were you in a rush for anyway?"

"I was looking for a book on Animagus'. They sounded interesting and I kind of wanted to learn about them." It wasn't technically a lie Daniel figured. "Besides, what are you doing with a stack of books bigger than you are?"

Hermione scoffed and bent down picking up the scattered tomes. Moving to help her he picked up a rather hefty and dirty book. Brushing off the dust he read the title. _Arithmancy: Theory of Spell Design_.

Glancing from the book to Hermione Daniel raised an eyebrow. "What the hell are you doing with this?"

Hermione snatched the book from his hands. She huffed and set the thick book in the stack she had reformed. Daniel's eyes glanced through the pile: _Transfiguration and Conjuration, Alchemy and the Alchemist, Runes: Warding and Cursebreaking._

"What the hell? Are you a first year of a seventh in disguise?" Daniel shook his head and laughed.

"Says the boy looking for transfiguration books," Hermione shot back.

"I'm curious about people changing into animals. You want to skip to the end of school."

"Shhh!" a voice hissed from behind them. Daniel threw his head back and looked. Madam Pince stood behind them, her arms crossed and her eyebrows knitted together in frustration. She shook her head and moved into one of the rows.

Daniel looked back to Hermione and saw her worried look as if a single complaint from Madam Pince would cause her expulsion from the school. He had to bite his lip to keep the laughter from escaping him. Though the look on his face must have telegraphed it, as Hermione simply glared and picked up the stack of books leaving him in the row.

Shaking his head Daniel went to work searching the rows.

* * *

The light got lower and lower for Daniel as he skimmed through the spellbook. He rubbed his eyes and sighed as he looked at how much he had left to read. He groaned. He had barely made it a third of the way through. He had hoped to find the spell he needed rather quickly. He had learned that index pages weren't a thing to wizards. So, forced to read through the book, he spent the better part of three hours breathing in dust and straining his eyes.

Closing his eyes, he sighed and slid the piece of parchment he had written his list out on into the book. He brought the book to the counter smiling at Madam Pince. The woman looked at him, with boredom or disdain he couldn't tell. He chuckled to himself as he walked out of the library with the book tucked under his arm. He was sure that Madam Pince saw the students just as Snape did, only she wasn't as vocal.

Climbing up to the Ravenclaw tower he was met by Terry Boot at the entrance. The door had swung open and Terry had taken a step in.

"Hold the door!" Daniel called out pumping his legs up the stairs.

Terry had obliged and motioned for Daniel to hurry. "Come on!"

Daniel made it to the door, grinning as he entered the common room. "Thanks, Terry!"

"Where've you been?" Terry asked plopping himself on a couch, legs kicked up and arms folded behind his head.

"Library. I needed to get caught up on Transfiguration homework." Terry laughed at Daniel's response. Even though they were Ravenclaw, it seemed that Daniel was one of the few that was proving the stereotype right.

"Of course, you were. But look, so last night you know how Harry had a duel with Malfoy?"

"Course." Daniel and Terry had been unable to attend as Ravenclaw tower was too far for them to be able to sneak away and meet Harry and Ron.

"Well, it turns out that Malfoy never showed up," Terry sat up and motioned for Daniel to come closer. Terry glanced around and whispered quickly. "They had to hide in the third corridor. Apparently, there's a Cerberus guarding something there."

"A Cerberus?" Daniel asked his eyes wide.

"Yeah, it's a three-headed—"

"I know what a Cerberus is," Daniel said quickly. "No, I mean, what is it doing in the school. What the hell could it be guarding?"

* * *

Daniel furrowed his eyebrow as he read the incantation he had been searching for. His mouth moved, reading the words silently. They sounded unnatural. He knew that most spells were derived from Latin, or used roots from it, however, this seemed nothing like Latin.

"Nochtann an duine," Daniel squinted at the words and shook his head.

He read through the description. It seemed rather straightforward, point your wand, say the words, see a blue light and then the Animagus will transform. Daniel pulled his want out and whispered the words to himself. He raised the wand and spoke the words.

He felt the wand warm in his hand but otherwise, nothing happened.

He looked to the wand and then back to the book. He reread the instructions and nodded before raising his wand and trying again.

The result was the same and he cursed to himself.

He turned the page and slapped his forehead and leaning back on the stone wall he had propped himself against.

_For the spell to work, there must be an Animagus present._

He had hoped to be able to practice the spell first and ensure that he could actually perform the spell. He still had trouble turning matches into needles, let alone performing a spell that would be able to turn a mouse back into a man.

Shaking his head, Daniel wrote the spell down on his list and lifted himself out of the small nook he had managed to find on the second floor. Reading was always better in small spaces.

He moved through the halls ducking his head down. He avoided eye contact with most people, nodding whenever his eyes had unfortunately met another person's.

Slugging into the Great Hall, Daniel spotted Ron, Harry, and Terry sitting together. Glancing at his watch he saw that there were still fifteen minutes left in lunch. Nodding to himself he moved to join his friends, sliding into the bench beside Terry.

"Afternoon gentlemen!" Daniel smirked.

"Daniel, where the bloody hell have you been?" Ron asked with a mouth full of food.

"Studying," Daniel said, his eyes moving to Scabbers who was resting on Ron's shoulder.

"Ravenclaws," Ron shook his head, smirking.

"Hey!" Terry said. "We're not all like that!"

"Terry, as soon as you learned Lumos you've used it to read until two in the morning every night," Daniel rolled his eyes.

"How do you know that?"

"Because it's a bright light and you sleep next to me!" Daniel shook his head and glanced at his watch again. "We'd better hurry up gents, we got charms soon."

The four boys left the Hall, moving to charms. They all discussed the upcoming quidditch season. Everyone saying that Harry was going to lead the Gryffindor team to victory, though Daniel and Terry did say that it would most likely be close with Ravenclaw. Even though they were friends with Gryffindors, they did have Ravenclaw pride.

When they arrived at Charms Professor Flitwick announced that they would be starting to make objects fly.

Professor Flitwick put the class into pairs to practice. Daniel and Terry had gotten together quickly watching as Harry and Ron were left on their own to find partners.

Harry's partner was Seamus Finnigan. Ron, however, was to be working with Hermione Granger seeing it, Daniel sighed as he realized what it would lead to. He knew that Hermione would get hurt, that she, Harry, and Ron would battle a troll, _and_ that It would lead to their friendship.

He had weighed the pros and cons of it. Leaving this to happen would be for the best, intervening would cause a few ripples that would lead to trouble. So as the class, as Hermione corrected Ron and he complained and said she had no friends, Daniel felt a feeling of confidence. For it would leave to the Golden Trio.

Though he hated the thought of lesser and greater evil, he allowed himself to feel less guilty about this one.

* * *

"I still don't think Snape is trying to steal whatever the Cerberus—"

"Fluffy," Harry, Ron, and Terry corrected.

"I refuse to call him that. But I don't know why Snape would be trying to steal whatever it is that it's guarding." Daniel shook his head and continued to flip through the copy of, _Alchemy and the Alchemist._ He flipped through the massive tome until the name Nicholas Flamel appeared. "Here it is! Nicholas Flamel. Alchemist from the fifteenth century. Credited with, oh well how about that. Credited with the creation of the Sorcerer's Stone."

"What's that?" Terry asked grasping the book and pulling it over to himself. He skimmed the page and read, "Blimey! He and his wife are over six hundred years old!"

Hermione snatched the book and read over a few more passages out loud. "The ancient study of alchemy is concerned with making the Sorcerer's Stone, a legendary substance with astonishing powers. The stone will transform any metal into pure gold. It also produces the Elixir of Life, which will make the drinker immortal. The dog must be guarding Flamel's Sorcerer's Stone! I bet he asked Dumbledore to keep it safe for him, because they're friends and he knew someone was after it, that's why he wanted the Stone moved out of Gringotts!"

"A stone that makes gold and stops you from ever dying!" said Harry. "No wonder Snape's after it! Anyone would want it."

"And no wonder we couldn't find Flamel in that Study of Recent Developments in Wizardry," said Ron. "He's not exactly recent if he's over six hundred like Terry said."

Daniel couldn't deny the appeal of the stone. It seemed amazing and promised so much. Gold and time to spend it. It sounded amazing. But then he supposed that having it and having everyone that would want the stone after you did seem to be a major downside.

The group concluded their research and began to pack up.

"So how long until you lot go home?" Terry asked, slinging his book bag over his shoulder.

"Tomorrow," Daniel said. "McGonagall is taking me."

"You're not ridding the train?" Hermione asked.

"No. Frank can't pick me up." Daniel said absentmindedly.

"Who?" Ron asked.

"I thought you lived with your aunt?" Harry said.

"Yeah," Terry nodded.

"Oh. Well, Frank is," Daniel paused and swallowed nervously and fidgeted nervously. "I, he, um."

Daniel cleared his throat and his throat felt dry. He looked up to his friends and his face felt unbelievably hot. He felt like when he had been eight for the first time and had been caught stuffing a bad grade he had gotten deep into his backpack by one of the caretakers.

"Who's Frank?" Harry asked.

All of his friends looked confused. They seemed lost, and a feeling of guilt began to creep up his spine as he tried to think of anything he could say to divert the conversation. To avoid telling them his dreaded title: Orphan.

He swallowed and sighed. Just like when he was eight, he was caught red-handed.

"I—Frank is my…" he paused and chuckled to himself. "Frank is someone close to me. He's looked after me for a few years. I don't, my aunt isn't real. I don't have one. I'm… I grew up in an orphanage."


	6. The Raspy Ravenclaw

Daniel held his breath. His stomach felt like it was in knots and he closed his eyes, his hands shaking slightly. Opening them, he looked to the door and knocked gently.

There was a scramble from inside and heavy quick footsteps rushing forward. The door opened with a loud creak and Daniel grinned as Frank stood before him, wearing the same heavy brown coat and flat cap he always wore.

"Yer here!" Frank exclaimed moving forward and embracing Daniel, but pulling back quickly. "Oh, uh sorry. But well come in! come in! I have some food if you want. Unless you ate at the home?"

Daniel smiled at Franks's enthusiasm. The older man smiled so brightly when the door had opened, his eyes had practically lit up the night. He was glancing around his small home and licked his lips nervously.

There were still piles of books strewn about. Only faintly organized by genre. Frank moved and picked up a stack of books and set them on the floor clearing a space on a tall green padded seat.

"Go ahead and sit down! You're probably tired from the trip. Food?"

Daniel chuckled and nodded. "Of course, Frank. I'm actually starved from the trip. Took forever."

Frank nodded and disappeared into the kitchen. There was clanging and a myriad of footsteps before Frank called out from the kitchen.

"So, did you see your friend before you came here?"

"I did," Daniel nodded. "Professor McGonagall dropped me off there. I stowed my trunk and caught up with Ellie for a bit."

"And, how is she?" Frank said coming back with a bowl of Sheppard's pie.

Daniel took the bowl and thanked Frank. "She's doing well. Said it was lonely without me."

"Aye, it has been," Frank nodded and took a seat. He reached into his coat and pulled out his pipe, packing it and then striking a match. He puffed a few times, filling the air with the rich smell of tobacco. "Have you made any friends over there?"

"A few," Daniel said, smiling fondly. "I share a dorm with a boy names Terry Boot that I hang out with a lot. Another is Stephen Cornfoot, but we don't talk as much. Plus, there's Harry, Hermione, and Ron, but they're in a different house."

"Right," Frank said nodding along. "Houses. And you're in which one again?"

"Ravenclaw. The blue one."

"Ah! Well good on that. Blues a fine color. My RAF—"

"Uniform was blue. And I wore it with pride everywhere I went during the war. Got me many fine looks from many fine birds," Daniel said mimicking franks rough voice leaning back in his chair and crossing his legs, his right hand holding an imaginary pipe. "Why, I remember one night at this pup called the Whistling Wolf—"

"Alight ya' made yer point," Frank laughed setting his pipe down and leaning back in his chair. "But you're having a good time yeah?"

Daniel nodded. "I am. Though, I was a bit of an idiot before I left."

"What'd you do?" Frank sighed and sat up scratching his head.

"I, well I hadn't told them about me. About what I am. You know me Frank, orphans not a title I really like."

"So, you elected not to tell them."

Daniel nodded. He sighed, but a smile cracked on his face as he thought of his friends' reactions.

Hermione had gasped and looked at him with worry in her eyes. Terry looked confused, a little hurt, as had Harry. Silence had hung over them like a rain cloud, but Ron had been his usual self.

"So, you never met 'em or they died?" Ron had gotten his arm smacked by Hermione for that. She had hissed that he needed to be more tactful.

Daniel had laughed though, explaining that he didn't mind. He told that he hadn't known his parents. He had been deposited on the steps of the orphanage. He was a month old but slept soundly until one of the caretakers had found him the next morning.

The group had been sympathetic to his situation. Understanding, about his reasoning for lying. How he had wanted to run from his past. Erase it and make a new one. But in the end, being caught up in the lie he had created to escape it.

But in the end, the truth was out and he still had his friends.

"I told them in the end. That's what matters. Now come on Frank," Daniel said, standing up and moving to grab the chessboard, "Ron had beaten me fifteen times and I need to get better."

* * *

"Daniel," Frank said walking into the kitchen, in his arms was a thick parcel wrapped in shiny blue wrapping paper. "An, well an owl just dropped this off for you before flying off."

Daniel took the package, his brow furrowed as he looked down at the package. It was a little heavy, though he chalked that up to him being a rather scrawny eleven-year-old. There wasn't any tag or anything like that. So, with a shrug, he tore the paper open.

He felt the warm wool touch his hands and stopped moving for a second when he spotted the item inside. His hands trembled and his throat tightened as he pulled the sweater out. It was blue and fluffy, he let out a shuddered breath as he traced his finger along the golden "D" that was etched onto the front.

A note fell from the sweater. He was quick to grab it and even more quick to read it.

" _Dear Daniel,_

_Merry Christmas!_

_The Weasley's"_

He felt hot tears streak down his face as he clutched the sweater to his chest. The note was so simple, so easy to read. Yet it meant more to Daniel than even the sweater.

Frank stood behind Daniel and smiled at the boy.

Though he had tried to provide what he could, Frank knew it wasn't much. And as he and Daniel spent the rest of the day playing chess, sitting by the fire reading, and talking, Frank was ever so thankful that Daniel was able to escape the mundane world he had belonged to. That Daniel was able to do something extraordinary.

* * *

"This is a bad idea," Daniel hissed as he moved with Ron, Hermione, and Harry toward Fluffy's lair on the third floor.

The four of them had decided to take it upon themselves to keep Snape from getting his hands on the stone. Or well, Harry, Ron, and Hermione had decided that. Daniel was simply going so he could lend a hand wherever possible. Terry had elected not to come along as it was all "Too Gryffindor" for him.

"We have to stop Snape!" Harry insisted.

"I'm telling you it's not Snape! He's been here for years and all the staff trusts him! Wouldn't it most likely be someone the staff doesn't know very well?"

"Like who? Quirrell? Come on, the man's scared of his own shadow!" Ron said as they approached the door.

"Fine, fine," Daniel said throwing his arms up before muttering, "don't come to me when Fluffy bites your head off."

They arrived in the room and Harry put Hagrid's flute to his lips and blew. It wasn't really a tune, but from the first note, the beast's eyes began to droop. Slowly, the dog's growls ceased — it tottered on its paws and fell to its knees, then it slumped to the ground, fast asleep.

"Keep playing," Ron warned Harry as they slipped out of the cloak and crept toward the trapdoor. They could feel the dog's hot, smelly breath as they approached the giant heads. "I think we'll be able to pull the door open," said Ron, peering over the dog's back. Together he and Daniel managed to lift the trap door, exposing the black abyss below. "Want to go first, Hermione?"

"No, I don't!"

"I thought you were Gryffindors!" Daniel laughed before hoping into the trap door whooping as he disappeared.

"You're mad!" He could hear Ron shout for an instant before the sound faded.

With a funny, muffled sort of thump, he landed on something soft. He sat up and felt around, his eyes not used to the gloom. He moved his hands and felt around the Devils Snare and looked up to the trap door.

"It's okay!" he called up to the light, "it's a soft landing, you can jump!"

Harry and Ron came down one after the other, bouncing on the devil's snare before Hermione finally landed amongst them. Daniel grimaced as the Devils Snare tendrils began to wrap themselves around him.

Pulling out his wand he sent balls of blue flame out and sent the Devils Snare shrieking away.

And as the four of them prepared to enter deeper into the set of challenges the professors had planned for them. Daniel swallowed nervously and followed Harry in.

* * *

The giant chessboard was awing, to say the least. Daniel had long since had a deep fascination and appreciation of the game. And to see the large board on display with pieces was simply jaw-dropping.

The four of them were standing on the edge of a huge chessboard, behind the black chessmen, which were all taller than they were and carved from what looked like a black stone. Facing them, way across the chamber, were the white pieces.

"Now what do we do?" Harry whispered.

"It's obvious, isn't it?" said Ron. "We've got to play our way across the room."

"How?" said Hermione nervously.

"We take the place of chessmen," Daniel said stepping forward and touching one of the bishops. It turned and bowed the large cross in its hand shining brilliantly.

Ron grinned, walking up to a black knight and putting his hand out to touch the knight's horse. At once, the stone sprang to life. The horse pawed the ground and the knight turned his helmeted head to look down at Ron.

"We're gonna have to play," Ron nodded. He seemed to bite his tongue a bit before looking over before finally saying, "Now, don't be offended or anything, but none of you are that good at chess—"

"We're not offended," said Harry quickly.

"Speak for yourself," Daniel grinned. "I've beaten you a few times."

"We're fifteen to five," Ron smirked and glanced back to the board.

"True enough. Lead the way, Ron. Let's see how we do."

Ron started to direct the black pieces. They moved silently wherever he sent them. Daniel could see Ron maneuvering pieces attacking gaps in the white pieces defense. Every so often he would call out a vulnerable piece, a knight, or a rival bishop. But as the game continued, he could see that Ron's sacrifice was indeed inevitable.

Too many pieces were lost and the White Queen was vicious in her assaults.

As Ron moved into a position to be taken off the board Daniel nodded, knowing that he would be alright.

With the ending of the game, the three remaining players rushed toward Ron checking to see if he was alright.

Harry had insisted that Hermione and Daniel take Ron and get help while he tried to stop Snape.

"Harry, I'm coming with you. Look, Hermione can get back on her own. But you don't know what you're going to find in there. Two is better than one yeah? Then let me come with you."

Harry looked back to the door leading to the stone and then to Daniel. He sighed and nodded motioning for him to follow.

Together the two of them pushed the large heavy doors open. Professor Quirrell stood before the mirror, Harry's eyes went wide and he gasped in shock at the Professor.

"You!" gasped Harry.

Quirrell smiled. His face wasn't twitching at all.

"Me," he said calmly. "I wondered whether I'd be meeting you here, Potter."

"But I thought - Snape-"

"Come on Harry! I told you that it wasn't Snape!"

Quirrell smirked and chuckled to himself. "Seems you do deserve to be in Ravenclaw Mr. Lovage."

"But Snape tried to kill me!" Harry shouted. Both Daniel and Quirrell groaned, Daniel even rolling his eyes.

"Harry, Snape isn't here! It's just Quirrell! Now come on focus up!"

In Daniel's attempt to get Harry to focus Quirrell snapped his fingers. Ropes sprang out of thin air and wrapped themselves tightly around both Harry and Daniel.

Quirrell continued his monologue, Harry kept trying to fish for information, both of the boys struggling with their binds. But all their struggling stopped when they began to hear another voice coming from Quirrell.

Harry's ropes were dropped to the ground and he was brought forth before Quirrell. But the professor froze for a moment before looking back to where Daniel was suspended.

"Are you certain, master?" Quirrell asked.

"Bring him."

Daniel felt his ropes release him and then his body drop to the cold hard ground. He took a few cautious steps forward and glanced to harry who appeared to be feeling his pocket where the stone most likely was.

Daniel felt a hand grasp his hair. He yelped out and then ground his teeth before grimacing and glancing up to Quirrell's snarling face.

"Now Potter. Tell me where is the stone?"

"Don't do it Harry—" Daniel felt Quirrell's hand lash out and strike his face.

"Tell me, Potter! Or Lovage gets it!" as soon as Quirrell had finished speaking he seemed to have gone ridged, he shuddered and glanced down at Daniel before nodding his head.

Daniel felt Quirrell's iron grip release and then scrambled back towards Harry. He eyed the man cautiously, watching as Quirrell began to unwrap his turban, his eyes glassy and his movements sluggish. Daniel braced himself and watched as the cloth fell to the ground. Quirrell turned and even expecting it, Daniel jumped back and saw the red eyes of Voldemort staring down at him, curious, yet still holding their deadly gaze.

"Harry Potter," Voldemort seemed to grin to himself as his eyes switched between Harry and Daniel. "And you, who are you?"

Daniel swallowed nervously before shaking his head. He looked over to Harry who seemed just as stunned and scared. Daniel looked back to Voldemort and took a deep breath.

"I—I'm no one, sir. I'm an orphan." Daniel paused at Voldemort's glare and the chuckle he breathed out.

"An orphan, that carries the name Lovage." Voldemort grinned and looked down on Daniel. "Many people were said to be heralds of my destruction. Many responsible for hindering my glorious rise."

Voldemort seemed to take a calming breath before looking to Harry

"Now then Harry," more quickly than either boy thought possible Quirrell turned and grasped Daniel, his large hands wrapping around the young boy's throat and lifting him off the ground. "Give me the Stone!"

Harry flinched and Daniel could hear him shouting as he felt his body began to go limp. He opened his mouth and rasped out several unintelligible noises as his vision narrowed. There was a clatter and a loud boom and Daniel felt himself crash on the ground gasping. He could feel Quirrell's phantom hands around his neck, the throbbing in his neck wracking his mind with pain.

He looked to where Quirrell had stood and saw him shouting and casting spells as beams of light crashed around him.

Feeling his eyelids growing heavy, he looked up to the ceiling and let out a final breath before darkness consumed him.

* * *

The throbbing in his neck was still there. That was the first thing he realized before he opened his eyes.

Daniel looked down at his neck and saw that it was bandaged in thick cloth and a spongy brace around his neck. Opening his mouth, he attempted to speak but groaned as he felt the raw pain in his throat.

He mentally swore and moved his hand to the heavy bandages on his throat wincing as even slight pressure hurt him. He felt spit well up in his mouth and glanced around. He quickly spat on the ground rather than risk the pain.

"What on Earth are you doing?" He sighed and closed his eyes as he heard Madam Pomfrey enter the room. "Why on Earth would you spit on the floor?"

Opening his mouth to respond he felt pain shoot into his throat and clamped his mouth shut.

Pomfrey sighed and waved her wand over Daniel. She nodded her head at the different colors of light that shot from her wand. "Well, seems besides your throat you seem fine."

Daniel made a motion toward his throat and opened his mouth shrugging his shoulders.

"Why can't you speak?" he nodded. Pomfrey looked unsure of herself before taking a breath and walking forward and taking Daniel's hand. "It was a curse. It damaged your throat, unfortunately. I was not sure the extent of the damage before you arrived, however, some of the damage appears to be permeant."

Daniel nearly shot out of the bed. His eyes shot open and his hands went to his throat. He motioned rapidly and his eyes watered slightly.

"Now calm down," Pomfrey said kindly grasping his arms gently. "You'll be able to speak. It may take a week or two, but you will speak. However, you may lose some, volume, and will most likely have a rasp your entire life. I'm sorry, but, it was very dark magic."

"Indeed, it was," the two whipped their heads towards the Hospital Wing door and saw Dumbledore standing there. His eyes did not have their twinkle and instead seemed rather red-rimmed. "Madam Pomfrey indeed saved your life. She is a very skilled healer. But there was nothing even those at St. Mungos could have done. I am indeed sorry."

Daniel stared at the two of them and felt his shoulders sag. He felt tears leaking from his eyes as the news began to sink in. Madam Pomfrey brought him into a hug. He let out a few shuddering breaths, making his crying worse as his throat shot pain through him.

* * *

A blur of bushy brown hair enveloped his eyesight before he felt Hermione crash into him, hugging him tightly.

"You're okay!" She said as the rest of their small group rounded the corner smiling.

"Daniel!" Terry smiled and flowed Hermione's actions. "Damnit, when Dumbledore told me what happened."

Daniel pulled away from the hug and school his head. He smiled and motioned to his throat shrugging.

"You still can't talk?" Terry asked.

Daniel shrugged. Madam Pomfrey had told him that it was okay for him to speak, but a shard of fear had imbedded itself in him, afraid that once he spoke he would hear what he would sound like for the rest of his life.

"Does it still hurt?" Hermione asked.

Daniel nodded a bit. It was a slight pain but it was fading.

Harry walked up to Daniel, the boy's eyes cast down. He approached and looked up slowly. Daniel saw his red eyes, the tear streaks running down from his eyes.

"Daniel," he began closing his eyes. "I'm so sorry. I didn't know it would happen like that. If the teachers hadn't gotten there, he would've—"

Daniel placed his hand on Harry's shoulder and nodded gently. He took a shallow breath and smiled.

"It wasn't your fault," he closed his eyes and brought his hand to the fading bruises on his neck. "Quirrell did this."

Harry's eyes leaked a few tears but he nodded.

Daniel chuckled and motioned for the group to walk on.

"Hell, of a first-year," Daniel mused his voice scratchy and stinging his throat.

"Hopefully next year will be quieter," Ron laughed. Daniel did too, more morbidly than his red-haired friend.

* * *

The morning sun nearly blinded Daniel as the curtains were thrown back. He hissed and buried his face into the pillow.

"Get up!"

"No," he moaned his voice scratching at his throat. "Go away."

"Come on lad," Frank laughed pulling the sheets off of Daniel. "Get up. Your teachers coming by today remember?"

Daniel groaned and rolled over on the bed smashing a pillow over his head hoping to block out the light.

"Don't make me get the bucket," Frank warned.

"No," Daniel rasped out. "Fine."

Daniel got up and rubbed the sleep from his eyes. He grabbed the glass of water he had set out and drank slowly, his throat stinging. He pulled the glass away and closed his eyes, scrunching his brow together and he waited for the pain to pass. He took a deep breath and set the glass down before dressing.

He could hear talking from the other room and rushed to dress, throwing on a pair of slacks and throwing the sweater he had received for Christmas over a plain white shirt. He rushed out of his room and smiled as he entered the kitchen. Professor McGonagall sat at the small table Frank and he usually sat at with a cup of tea in front of her.

From how he stood Frank was in the middle of one of his stories from the war, more specifically, how he and a few friends had managed to push back a German sortie sent to take out a group of bombers he was meant to defend.

McGonagall herself seemed rather drawn into the story, though Daniel imagined that she must have had a bit more invested in those stories, as she had been a child when what Frank was describing had happened.

Knocking on the doorway and walking in Daniel smiled and gave a small wave.

"Hello," he rasped out.

"Mr. Lovage," McGonagall said, standing. "It is good to see you. How have you been?"

"Well I don't think a singing career is in the works for me, but I've always had stage fright," Daniel smiled through the flash of hot pain in his throat and reached out a hand for her to shake.

McGonagall took his hand and he could see the sad smile and look of pity that he had received from practically everyone since he had returned. He managed to keep himself from rolling his eyes at her look and quickly spoke.

"So off to Diagon Alley?"

"Yes," McGonagall said smiling before she turned to Frank. "Thank you for the tea, and I must hear the end of that story another time."

"Aye, you must! 'Tis a good one! But you must be off. I'm sure, well wherever it is you buy his things, is busy this time of year."

"Indeed, it is. We shall be back in a few hours," McGonagall said before ushering Daniel out of the house and pulling out a small coil of rope. Daniel grabbed it, confused, but felt a tugging on his navel as McGonagall tapped her want to the rope and whispered " _Portus_."

And with that, they disappeared to Diagon Alley.

* * *

Daniel laughed as he watched Harry get pulled forward by Lockhart I order to get his picture taken. He tapped Ron's arm and the red-haired boy turned, a smile plastered on his face and laughter bubbling out.

"I suppose it was inevitable," Daniel's throat scratched out, "he's gone a whole summer without his face in the paper."

But the laughter died down a bit as Lockhart gifted Harry with his entire collection of books free of charge. Daniel looked down to his own bag of books, torn and frayed, and one completely damaged from being soaked in water.

He had been forced to buy second hand as Lockhart's booklist was unbearably long. So, he bought second hand for them and bought new the books that he knew would actually matter.

Harry was brought back from the front of the crowd looking quite dazed. He gave the new books he had been gifted to Mrs. Weasley, but as the small group tried to shuffle about the store when Daniel heard a voice he had been eager to hear.

"Bet you loved that, didn't you Potter," Daniel turned and saw Malfoy sneering at the four students. Daniel smirked to himself and his eyes roamed around the shop looking for the next piece of the puzzle.

" _Famous_ Harry Potter. Can't even go into a bookstore without making the front page."

"What's wrong Malfoy?" Daniel grinned. "Jealous that Daddy can't buy a permanent spot for you?"

"Need Raspy Ravenclaw to stand up for you Potter?" Malfoy sneered.

Daniel clenched his fists but remained still, his smirk firmly in place. However, Ron had been nearby and stormed forward.

"You shut your bloody mouth Malfoy!" Ron hissed rushing forward, but both Daniel and Harry cut him off and tried to hold him back.

But before anything could escalate both Mr. Weasley and Malfoy entered the store and began to exchange their passive-aggressive pleasantries. But to the best of Daniel's memory, a fight broke out and he backed away watching Malfoy as carefully as he could.

A few stands of books were knocked over and as the fight broke up and Mr. Malfoy stood up dusting himself off, Daniel noticed that Malfoy employed a quick sight of hand and dumped a black leather diary into the cauldron that Ginny had been using to lug around her books.

Smiling to himself Daniel waited for the group to exit the crowded store and gain some distance from the Malfoys before he "tripped" and tumbled into Ginny causing her to drop her cauldron spilling her books all over the white cobbled stones of Diagon Alley.

He apologized profusely and helped pick up her books, putting them back into the cauldron. But when his hands brushed over a black leather journal, he smirked to himself and put it into his bag quickly before standing up.

He stayed with the Weasleys for another half hour before McGonagall came back with several of his other necessary school supplies. He bid the family and his friends farewell before McGonagall port keyed them back to Little Hangleton.

He went back to the Orphanage that night. He ducked through the crowded halls and loud common areas. He climbed up the stairs and rolled his eyes at the older kids smoking by the windows hoping that the caretakers wouldn't catch the smell.

He made it to his room and hid the books in his wardrobe, but pulled one out.

The bound, black leather journal, with T.M. Riddle in golden letters on the cover.


	7. If Diary's Had Eyes, They'd Be Smug

The cabin rocked gently and Daniel grinned behind his clasped hands as he watched Terry struggle to decide how to move. Terry's eyes went side to side and he had a thin film of sweat over his forehead.

"Come on Terry," Daniel said quietly. "It's staring you in the face."

"Shut up," Terry hissed.

He moved his hand up and wrapped his fingers around the black wooden bishop. His eyes went up to gauge Daniel's reaction. He released the bishop and grabbed the knight, but looked up once more, and saw Daniel's eyebrow raised. He let it go and settled on the bishop moving it and taking Daniel's rook before leaning back and smiling satisfyingly.

"Nice," Daniel coughed and winced at the stinging in his throat. He grabbed his knight and moved it forward, cornering Terry's King. "But you should have moved your own rook. Checkmate."

Terry shot forward and analyzed the board. He moved his eyes quickly and shook his head before leaning back again.

"How!"

Daniel chuckled and began to move the pieces back. "You were focused on attacking me rather than defending your own King. It's a _rookie_ mistake."

Terry rolled his eyes at Daniel's pun and reached for his coin pouch digging out four silver sickles. He slid them across the table and Daniel grinned as he pocketed the small silver coins.

Daniel asked the boy if he wanted another game to which he received a scoff and a few choice words as to where he could put the pieces.

Rolling his eyes Daniel put the board away and pulled out his potions book. He began reading as the sounds around him began to fade until he could only hear the sound of the train rolling on the tracks and the page flipping. He moved his eyes over each letter and absorbed the knowledge before him until he was snapped out of it when the door to the cabin opened.

Daniel looked up over the book and saw a small girl, perhaps reaching just above his elbow when he stood up, standing in the doorway. She had her Hogwarts robes on, a large brand-new trunk set down at her feet, and the fact that there were no house markings signified that she was a first year.

"Hello," she said quietly, her voice having a dreamy quality to it. "Would you mind if I joined you?"

_Luna_ , the name popped into Daniel's mind. He felt several vague memories fill his head slowly. The sudden flow of random and somewhat incomprehensible memories made his temples throb. He took a breath, biting his teeth to keep himself from groaning. He smiled forcefully and nodded his head slowly.

"Come on in," he ground out releasing the pressure on his lip and wincing at the rattling pain in his throat.

The girl, Luna as he suspected, entered the cabin. Daniel and Terry rose from their seats to grab the trunk and lift it onto the luggage rack. The three sat and a brief silence fell before the girl smiled softly and began to speak.

"Hello, I'm Luna Lovegood," she reached into the pockets in her robe and pulled out a small jar. She was quick at unscrewing it before pulling out a black tablet and offering it. "Brick tea?"

Daniel raised an eyebrow at the offering. The jar held several blocks of black tablets. Daniel grabbed one and pulled it out, sniffing it cautiously.

"This is tea?" He asked warily.

"Yes. You're supposed to shave off small bits of it into water, but I enjoy eating it this way," Luna took the tablet and bit into it breaking off a small chunk with an audible click. She chewed, the loud crunching filling the cabin, and smiled at the boys motioning for them to try it.

Shrugging, and ignoring the worried look from Terry, Daniel bit into the block. Taking a few moments, he managed to take a chunk from the block, though his jaw hurt and he felt a few of his teeth briefly go loose in his skull. He crunched the hard "tea" between his teeth and nodded at the chalky yet slightly okay taste.

"Is it good?" Terry asked, a wide amused smile on his face.

"Surprisingly okay," Daniel commented before swallowing.

"One of Daddy's friends sent it to him as a birthday present. He thought I could bring some with me so I could try and make friends," Luna took another bite from the tablet and smiled.

"Oh, where are my manners," Daniel said before putting out his hand. "Daniel Lovage, good to meet you, Luna."

Luna took it and shook his hand gently. "Lovage. That's funny. It's almost like Lovegood. But not quite."

"Maybe it means we should be friends," Daniel laughed.

Luna, however, beamed at the statement and nodded her head vigorously. "Yes, I suppose it might mean that."

Daniel looked over at Terry and let go of Luna's hand. "This is my friend Terry Boot."

Terry shook Luna's hand as well, though Daniel could tell he was a bit hesitant. He still eyed the tea bricks she had offered with some skepticism. But he was still polite and introduced himself.

"So, tell us, Luna, are you excited for Hogwarts?"

She nodded her head and smiled. "Yes, daddy told me a lot about Hogwarts from his time there. He said that it's such a wonderful place.

"It can be," Daniel said, "Just don't get wrapped up in any business where you have to deal with possessed teachers."

Luna sat still for a moment and nodded thoughtfully. "I'll do my best. It doesn't sound pleasant.  
Daniel laughed for a moment before smirking to himself and looking back at Terry.

"So, Terry. How about a rematch?"

"No!" Terry shook his head and dived headfirst into his book. " _No. No. No. No._ I'm done losing to you! You cheat!"

"I do not," Daniel insisted smirking at the accusation. He really didn't cheat, Terry was simply awful at Chess. "You just don't know how to play."

Terry scoffed and simply continued reading. Daniel shook his head at the boy and looked over to Luna.

"Luna, would you like to play a game of chess, to help pass the time?"

Luna gave a half-smile and nodded her head. Daniel grinned and reached back into his trunk pulling out the board and quickly setting up the pieces. He took black giving Luna the first move.

She grabbed her pawn and picked it up holding it close to her eye and laughing. She tapped the round top of the piece and then set it down before moving to the next pawn and repeating the process.

She went down the line and touched all eight pawns, in random order, before she began with her more mobile pieces.

"This looks like my house," she said holding the rook out for Daniel to take.

Finding her behavior rather pleasant, Daniel took the piece and observed the white-painted bit of wood before giving it back.

"You live in a house that looks like a rook?"

"I do, except it looks more like the ones on your end. Daddy said that having a house painted black drives off the Heliopaths since they think they've already been through. Heliopaths are fire spirits you see. They don't mean to burn everything they come across down, but," Luna leaned forward and whispered looking worried as if she was about to share secret information, "it tends to happen when you're made of fire."

"I suppose that does make sense," Daniel nodded. "Where do Heliopaths tend to live through?"

He heard Terry snort and looked over to the boy. Terry saw Daniel glance over and shook his head. He could see his friend mouth the word, _Loony._

Daniel scowled but remained silent.

"Well, most Heliopaths live in close communities at the bottom of Volcanoes. There aren't many of them left you see. So, the ones that are left need to stick together otherwise they could go extinct." Luna stood up and climbed onto her seat. She managed to open her trunk and dug through for a moment before returning to her seat, a purple magazine in her hand. "This issue of _The Quibbler_ has a great article on Heliopaths. But if you have more questions you can always ask me."

Daniel took the magazine and flipped through quickly before placing it beside him. "I'll be sure to do that Luna. But first, I do believe we have a game to play."

* * *

"You're an ass!" Terry fumed as he rushed through the halls of the Express and down onto the Hogsmeade Platform. After Daniel had defeated Luna, he managed to goad Terry into another four losses. Terry had finally flipped the board and began swearing that Daniel was cheating.

"Terry it's not my fault you can't strategize," Daniel said meeting him on the platform. The two began following the mass movements of students to the carriages. "Besides, just know that all your losses go to the fund of an orphan in need."

Terry rolled his eyes and playfully shoved Daniel. "Yeah sure. I'll beat you one of these days."

Daniel shook his head as the herd of students began to thin.

They neared the carriages and Daniel nearly froze where he stood when he saw them. The large skeletal horses, supposed to be invisible to the human eye. Unless they had seen death that was. Daniel gasped as the realization hit him. He chuckled to himself, he had been touched by death he supposed. He had in fact _died_.

The mass of students began to disappear as each carriage left. Terry and Daniel stood silently together waiting for their turn to climb aboard when they heard someone speak.

"The threastles are magnificent, aren't they?" Both Terry and Daniel jumped, Daniel screaming and grasping at his throat. They both turned, looking and seeing Luna standing behind them.

"What the hell?" Daniel exclaimed again before scrunching his eyes closed in pain and bringing his hand to his throat.

"Luna, what are you doing here?" Terry asked looking behind her towards the platform, but neither Hagrid nor the other first years were there.

"Oh well I was having fun so I decided to follow the two of you," Luna explained bouncing back and forth on the balls of her feet. "Why?"

"Luna," Daniel croaked out, feeling a trickle of blood running down his throat. He knew he would need to see Madam Pomfrey. "Luna you were supposed to go with Hagrid."

"Oh," was all she said. "Well, can I go with you to the castle?"

Daniel looked at the empty carriage that was waiting for them and shrugged.

The three of them climbed into the last empty carriage before it began rocking forward. Daniel kept his hand on his throat massaging the skin trying to rub the pain away.

He had been told by Pomfrey that he would never be able to speak loudly or yell ever again, else he would hurt his throat and he would bleed, and continue to bleed until he died or was healed. He hadn't been sure if she had been telling the truth, but as he swallowed his latest mouthful of warm coppery fluid, he decided that the healer had not been lying.

* * *

The Great Hall was alive with chatter when the three friends entered. Most of the tables were filled and many people were moving to their tables leaving their friends from different houses.

Daniel, Terry, and Luna walked through the center of the hall, between the Gryffindor and Hufflepuff tables, toward the head table. Daniel could feel the eyes on them as they moved. He looked to his right and spotted Hermione. He smiled and gave a small wave which she returned. He did a quick search for Harry and Ron but when he couldn't find them his eyes went wide and he nearly stopped walking.

_I knew I forgot something_ , he said in his mind, chastising himself but still walking.

He made it to the head table and motioned for Terry to take Luna to Dumbledore while he went and saw Pomfrey. He moved down the table and waved at Professor Flitwick. The Professor greeting him, but when he tried to reply he could only gurgle as he felt the blood in his mouth welling up.

He quickly walked off and made a dash to Pomfrey who he found sitting next to Sprout talking amicably about some plant or another with healing properties. He stopped in front of Pomfrey and the woman looked over wearing a confused smile.

"Can I help you, dear?" She asked.

Daniel nodded and tried to speak but fell into the same repulsing gurgling noise that he had directed to Flitwick. He blinked trying to figure out how to convey what he needed to. He looked over to the center of the table but Terry and Luna were being led off by Dumbledore.

He made motioning gestures to his throat and moved his eyebrows trying to convey anything.

Pomfrey furrowed her brows and sat up in her chair. "Is your throat bothering you dear?"

Daniel snapped his fingers and nodded his head while pointing to his throat. Pomfrey nodded and walked around the table motioning for him to follow her. They walked through the center of the hall again drawing eyes. Grimacing at the attention he tried to duck his head.

"Hey Lovage, already mucked up a spell?" Daniel turned his head and saw Michael Corner standing up at the Ravenclaw table trying to get a good look at him. The boy was chuckling to himself and more eyes from the Ravenclaws were now drawn to him. Daniel felt his cheeks light up and turned his head quickly following Pomfrey and getting away from the hall.

* * *

He spat into the bucket Pomfrey had supplied him with before leaning back on the bed. Pomfrey had left an hour ago to sleep, but not before she had chastised him for shouting and causing his throat to tear. She had told him that it would be at least two weeks before it would be safe for him to speak.

So, he sat in silence spitting the last bits of blood infused spit into the bucket. It took him ten minutes to realize that he was absolutely bored by himself. He had requested if he could at least have a few books brought from his trunk to help with the boredom and Pomfrey had granted the request, though she insisted that he get plenty of rest.

But as luck would have it, his mind was alight with activity and refused to shut down for even a second of sleep. So, he sat in his bed twirling his wand in his left hand and digging through his bookbag with his right. He sighed as he read over the titles and sighed when none of them caught his eye.

He rubbed his eyes and threw his head back into the pillow. He couldn't feel his body crave sleep any more than it had five minutes ago. He looked back to the book bag and he gave it another glance over.

_Transfiguration, Year Two Charms,_ Daniel rolled his eyes and nearly groaned at the mound of second-hand Lockhart books. He shoved those aside and paused as he saw the black leather-bound journal he had brought with him. He chuckled realizing that he wouldn't get the chance to hand it over to Dumbledore on the first day. He would have to wait at least two weeks, he at least wanted to talk and be able to explain properly how he had " _discovered_ " that the journal wrote back and wanted him to do bad things.

But as he touched the Journal a small dangerous part of his mind felt curious. He laughed and shook his head letting go of the Journal and setting the bag on the floor. He couldn't believe that for a moment he had actually considered writing in the Journal.

_But maybe_ , the dangerous part of his mind whispered, _I know that its dangerous. What could be the harm of writing in it if I know it's dangerous?_

Scoffing at the sheer hubris he turned away from his book bag and closed his eyes, not any closer to being tired.

* * *

Daniel arrived in the hall with dark circles under his eyes and an ache in his neck. He suppressed a yawn and dragged his feet into the hall wiping his eyes and looking down the Ravenclaw table. He sniffed and smiled when he spotted Terry talking amicably with Stephen Cornfoot.

He walked over and slid into the seat beside Terry and nodded to both of them.

"You're back," Terry exclaimed when Daniel sat down. "We'd thought you'd died!"

Daniel flipped his middle finger up and chuckled to himself.

"Ah, come on now," Terry laughed before he poured Daniel a glass of water. "We knew Madam Pomfrey would have you up and running in no time. And we were right, weren't we?"

"Indeed, we were," Stephen said. "Terry filled me in. You got scared of a first-year?"

Daniel flipped Terry off again and shook his head. It seemed Terry enjoyed exaggerating tales after he had lost games in chess, as well as some of his money.

But the mention of Luna caused Daniel to look around. He looked from table to table and spotted the girl sitting with the other first years, however, the other first years seemed to already be keeping their distance.

Daniel nudged Terry and motioned over to Luna and shrugged his shoulders.

"What?" Terry asked furrowing his eyebrows. Daniel sighed and pointed over to Luna and gestured from her to the seat next to him then shrugged. "I don't understand you. Did you forget how to use your words?"

Daniel grunted with frustration and dug into his backpack and dug out a roll of parchment. He scribbled down the words, _Why isn't she sitting with us?_

Terry read the words and laughed. "I don't know. I figured first years hang out with first years."

_But she's alone_ , Daniel wrote out.

Indeed, around her the other first years seemed to leave a small, but noticeable, distance between Luna.

Terry looked again and shrugged his shoulders.

"I don't know. I mean, come on mate, she is a bit, ya know," Terry nodded his head and motioned over to Luna, who was holding a copy of the Quibbler upside down, "she's kinda strange."

Daniel rolled his eyes and got up from his seat.

"Oh, come on mate," Terry groaned. "Just leave her."

Daniel walked down the table, ignoring Terry's shouts for him to come back. He tuned out the chattering first years and slid into the seat beside Luna, making the conversation amongst the first years die down for a moment.

Luna, however, was too engrossed in her upside-down magazine to realize that he had slipped into the seat next to her. Daniel chuckled at her obliviousness and instead began to pile small amounts of food onto his plate. Glancing down the table he spotted Terry glancing over at him warily and Stephen Cornfoot suppressing chuckles behind his scarred hands.

Daniel waved them over and he could see Stephen bump Terry's elbow. He spoke to him and motioned with his hand, but all Terry did was get red-faced and shake his head vehemently as if he was trying to prove a point.

Stephen shrugged and stood up. He glanced down at Terry once more and then shook before walking over. Daniel smiled triumphantly and patted the seat beside him.

Daniel so wished he could speak, but instead scribbled in all capital letters " _WELCOME STEVEN!_ "

Stephen laughed and took the card shaking his head. He slid into the seat next to Daniel and looked down at Luna who was still reading her Quibbler.

"My name is spelled with a PH." Daniel laughed softly and gave the boy a look that said, _you think I don't know?_ Stephen rolled his eyes and looked down at Luna again. He cleared his throat loudly and waited for Luna to look over.

The blonde-haired girl flipped the page of her Quibbler but remained silently enthralled in the purple pages. Daniel chuckled to himself and gently tapped her shoulder. Luna made a _hmmm_ noise and bent the corner of her page and closed the Quibbler placing it on her lap.

She turned her head and smiled, "Oh hello Daniel, it's good to see that you're okay. You were spitting a lot of blood last night."

Daniel shrugged and quickly wrote on a card. _Pomfrey fixed me up. I just can't speak for a week._

"Oh, well at least you're okay."

"Agreed," Stephen cut in. He held out his hand for her to shake, "Stephen Cornfoot, pleasure to meet you."

"Luna Lovegood," she said taking his hand gently. "My, I have to say, I've never seen someone so free of Wackspurts. Do you clear your head with a Pipply whistle?"

Stephen blinked and was taken aback for a moment. He opened his mouth to say something but his words came up short and he cleared his throat.

"I, well I can't say that I have Luna."

She hummed to herself and shrugged her shoulders. "Oh well. I suppose I'll find out your secret eventually."

"If I knew my secret to staying, uhh, free of those creatures, then I would share it."

"Not necessarily," Luna said turning back to her plate of food. "Some people have secrets that they don't know. And you don't know how you keep the wackspurts away. So, it's a secret from everyone and you."

Stephen glanced from Luna to Daniel, confused. He looked back to Terry who was wearing an _I told ya' so_ smile and shaking his head.

Stephen looked back to Daniel and Luna and nodded to himself.

"Well," he began, "I guess we'll just have to figure it out."

* * *

Daniel hacked out another clump of thick gooey blood from his throat and winced at the feeling in his throat. He rubbed it and took a shallow breath. Every time he had to expel the leftover from his throat it felt like he was swallowing razor blades.

He sighed and exited the stall moving to the sink. He splashed the cool water on his face and looked up to the mirror.

He jumped, forcing himself to not scream.

A boy stood behind him in the mirror. He was tall, definitely at least a sixth year. His hair was in the neatest comb-over he had ever seen, not a single hair out of place. Not to mention his uniform was pressed, completely wrinkle free, the creases exactly where they needed to be. But what had frightened Daniel, was the recognition he had felt when he saw the boy.

When he saw, Tom Marvolo Riddle.

He pulled his wand from his robe and spun on his heel bringing his wand up. His arm trembled and he was wide-eyed, he had no way of casting spells without damaging his throat. Not to mention he didn't know if his spells could even damage whatever was before him.

But when he faced where Tom was in the reflection, he saw nothing but an empty bathroom. He let out a heavy breath and slowly lowered his trembling arm. He felt tears well up in his eyes but quickly blinked them away.

Daniel took a step back and felt the sink behind him. He closed his eyes and tried to calm himself.

_He's still in the diary. He can't get out. I won't let him out. I just need to wait until I can speak._

* * *

"Lockhart's an idiot!" Stephen exclaimed, not even bothering to hide his distaste for the "teacher". "That quiz had nothing to do with magic. Only him!"

"My dad always thought he was full of it," Terry scoffed. "Merlin, who's bloody idea was it to hire that idiot?"

"Whoever it was needs to be fired." Stephen insisted.

Daniel simply nodded along with the two. It was the only thing he could do. He remembered vaguely that Lockhart had been a fraud to some degree. But with what he had been shown he was now sure that Lockhart was an idiot. He only wished he could say so.

He was a week into his two weeks ban on speaking. He wasn't spitting blood up anymore and his throat didn't hurt as much. But Pomfrey wanted him silent for a little while longer, _Just in case._

"We don't even have an actual textbook. Just a bunch of his novels," Stephen scoffed and rolled his eyes. "Alright, I'm going off. I'll be in the library. I need to read something to get the idiocy of Lockhart from my mind."

"Same. Michael said he would teach me some chess so I could beat you eventually Daniel," Terry laughed and rushed off to the common room while Stephen went off in the opposite direction.

Daniel sighed and adjusted his backpack. He checked his watch and saw that there was at least an hour before Luna got out of her classes. Another two before Harry, Hermione, and Ron were out from double potions.

Groaning inwardly, Daniel began to walk. He moved through the castle, avoiding the large clumps of students, and making a dash towards the staircase. He smiled and stepped onto a random staircase feeling the stone rumble underneath him.

He looked around and wished that there was somewhere he could go to alleviate the boredom of nothing.

His eyes went wide and he thanked himself on the head as a flash of a memory hit him lighting his mind up like a Christmas tree. _The Room of Requirement_. He cursed himself as he realized that he could have gone there all the previous year. He ran through his mind and tried to remember how to get to the Room.

He knew it was on the seventh floor and required (he laughed at the phrasing) the person searching to pace back and forth three times. But, he couldn't pinpoint exactly where it was. But he knew it had to do with trolls and ballet.

He rushed to the seventh floor and began to scour the floor in search of trolls and ballet. He passed a painting of a group of wizards pointing their wands at a muggle with a camera, another where a Hippogriff was nuzzling its beak with a Threastle. He rushed around the corridors and worked up a sweat from excitement and running around the entire seventh floor.

He groaned and kicked a wall, wincing at the pain that solid stone could have on a foot. He kept going, with a limp for about five minutes until the throbbing stopped, and looked at the tapestries and paintings.

He was close to calling it quits until he found himself standing before a large tapestry of a curly-haired mustachioed wizard with a gaggle of trolls before him wearing tutus. A thin smile crept on his face and Daniel nodded to himself.

He took a step back and closed his eyes before beginning to pace.

_I need a place to…_ he paused and opened his eyes. What did he need? He chuckled. _I suppose that's my answer. I need to place to figure out what I need._

He closed his eyes and began to pace.

_I need to place to figure out what I need._

_I need to place to figure out what I need._

_I need to place to figure out what I need._

There was a rumbling of stone and creaking of rusted steel, but Daniel knew that he had done it. He opened his eyes and saw the large stone doors of the Room before him. He moved forward and pushed it open, the door weighing far less than he imagined.

He stepped in.

The room was warm, and brightly lit, but he couldn't tell where the light was coming from. He took a few steps in and the door closed behind him. A desk was all he could see before him. It was simple in its design.

A large dark oak desk, pens, and pencils were set on the top of the desk, but no paper was present. He walked forward and set his backpack down before taking a seat. The words, _Plan_ , were carved at the top of the desk.

_What?_ Daniel asked in his mind.

_Remember,_ the carvings changed. The wood remolding and spelling out different letters. _Remember and plan._

Daniel laughed to himself and dug into his bag. He pulled out a roll of parchment and reached for a pen.

He had planning to do.

_Okay, big points. What do you remember_?

Daniel scribbled out several words. _Basilisk, Triwizard Tournament, Umbridge_.

He paused and tapped the pen against his face. He felt like a large point was staring him in the face. He could remember that there was something else yet his mind got foggy every time he almost got close to remembering. It was like his fingers were scratching the surface, but the moment he would finally grasp whatever it was, so much would come tumbling down over him.

He groaned and began to move on. He wrote what he knew to be true.

_Voldemort's name is Tom Riddle. I have Tom's Diary. Tom's Diary can possess people. Tom comes back in fourth year…._ He paused and crinkled his eyebrows. He was sure that it was the fourth year, but he was sure that it also happened during the Triwizard Tournament. _But that's the third year—isn't it?_

He groaned and slammed his fist on the desk. He regretted not trying to remember earlier. But being treated like a baby for years and years screwed with his mind. He had forgotten so much. Sometimes he had nearly forgotten the faces and names from before he had arrived, let alone the Harry Potter books. It was like there were wedges in his mind trying to keep him from remembering.

He sighed and looked back to the paper. He grabbed it and read over the lines over and over until he had it memorized before he crumpled it in his hand. He tossed it over his shoulder and picked up his bag before leaving the room.

* * *

Daniel screamed as he tripped over his feet. He crawled on his knees for a moment before regaining his balance and dashing forward.

"You can't hide!" a voice boomed behind him. Daniel whimpered as he heard the voice shake the hall and make him stumble. But he didn't dare look back. "Get back here!"

Daniel saw a door at the end of the hall and pushed his legs harder. He could hear heavy footsteps and a sinister laugh approaching. Daniel maneuvered through the small hall and came to the door.

He grasped the handle and twisted. The door refused to budge and Daniel whimpered again thrusting his shoulder against the thick oak door. He could hear the footsteps get closer and moved frantically against the door shouting and begging for it to be opened.

"There you are."

Daniel froze. He could hear the footsteps stop behind him. He felt a lump in his throat and tried to force it down. He let go of the doorknob and turned slowly. He kept his eyes on the ground and felt his body trembling as the man before him gave him a predatory look.

"Hello Daniel," Voldemort said, his eyes glowing red.

Daniel looked up and watched as Voldemort's arm rose. The man's mouth opened and flashed rows of sharp teeth.

"Avada—"

* * *

There was no shooting up from bed, nor did he wake up screaming waking up the entire dorm.

Daniel simply opened his eyes. He glanced around the room and looked to his nightstand. Grabbing his wand, he whispered _Tempus_ and saw that it was a little after five o'clock in the morning.

Getting out of bed Daniel made his way to the showers. He let the hot water wash over him and closed his eyes as he went over the dream in his mind.

It wasn't the first time he had found himself running down a cramped hallway trying to escape Voldemort. But it was the first time that the nose less Monster had caught him.

Despite the heat of the water he shivered at the memory of Voldemort aiming his wand at him, the killing curse on his lips, his eyes glowing red with glee. He shut the water off and climbed out of the stall, a towel wrapped around his body.

"Fucking Voldemort," he whispered his voice gravely. After dressing in his robes, he made it back to the dorm where the boys were still sleeping. He grabbed his backpack and left for the common room, envisioning the large blue sofa that he would be able to stretch out on. Ever since the dreams had started, the common room couch was a place he could count on to be able to catch up on his sleep.

As he adjusted himself and leaned back into the sofa he dug through his bag. He tossed aside the charms book, he was more than caught up already. He shoved all of Lockhart's books aside and rolled his eyes at the large picture of himself that the egomaniac had placed on the covers. He paused at the potions book, but ultimately moved on, as he didn't feel like trying to figure out what plants would kill him or blow up if he stirred one too many times.

He dug around a bit more and paused.

Tom Riddles Diary would have smiled smugly if it had a face. Daniel looked around and clenched his fist. He had been able to speak for a week and a half. He had said that he would deliver the book to Dumbledore once he could speak. And yet he was avoiding it. He would say he was busy with school, that he needed to help Terry and Luna with Charms.

He had been making reasons to not give the book off to Dumbledore. Yet he didn't know why. Or he did but didn't want to admit it.

The book was toying with him. He grabbed the Diary and stared at the leather binding. He flipped through the blank pages and sighed heavily.

He wasn't doing anything now. He could go to Dumbledore. Give him the Diary and be done with it. But even as he thought he felt a pull not to. He felt a pull to write in the diary.

Daniel shook his head and shoved the diary into the bag. No book was going to manipulate him.

* * *

"The Nargles have made you heavy."

Daniel glanced over at Luna and raised an eyebrow. Terry looked up from his plate and rolled his eyes. Terry was still hesitant about hanging out with Luna. The other boys in their year had given them some lip and made a few snide comments, but Daniel had brushed them off as best as he could. Terry was another story.

He had laughed with the boys when they made their jokes at Luna's expense. He laughed "with" Michael and the others when they would poke fun and Daniel and him, as they rarely ever poked fun at Stephen Cornfoot. Daniel had seen it before at the home. Kids getting swept along with groupthink.

"Are you calling me fat Luna?" Daniel asked, smiling softly. He knew she wasn't of course. He glanced down at his scrawny frame and sighed. He was skinnier than when he had first arrived if nothing else.

"Not your body," Luna continued. She reached out and grabbed an apple from a nearby plate of fruit. Grabbing one of the knives on the table she began cutting into it humming to herself. "The Nargles grabbed onto _you_. It's strange."

Terry snorted and rolled his eyes at Luna. Daniel turned and glared at the boy kicking him under the table.

"Oh no Terry it's no laughing matter," Luna mused. She set the knife down and held up the apple, now cored. He could see the center of the apple and three seeds cramped into the center. "It's the Nargles. You're heavy."

Daniel took the apple and smirked to himself, looking down at the core. He placed it on the plate and nodded his head.

"It's nothing Luna. Trust me."


	8. Invader

Daniel groaned as he rolled out of bed. He rubbed his eyes and ran a hand through his brown hair, groaning at the length. He needed to visit Flitwick. The small Professor offered free haircuts to his students. Magic was a hell of a thing.

Daniel stood and moved to his trunk digging around and pulling out his uniform for the day. He knotted his tie and pulled up his socks looking into the mirror and nodding at himself. Reaching back into his trunk Daniel paused and shifted a few items around looking for his shoes. Thinking he must have left them by his bed he checked both sides but was unable to find them.

Looking around the room he saw that the other boys had all laced their shoes and were chatting amongst themselves. But a glance and a smirk from Michael Corner told Daniel all he needed to know.

Huffing and balling his fists up he marched across the dormitory and cleared his throat. Corner continued to talk to Anthony and Kevin, though the boys faces turning red and their mouths threatening to burst with laughter told Daniel that Corner knew he was there.

He reached out his hand and tapped Michael on the shoulder. The boy turned slowly and smiled.

"Lovage! Hey, sorry didn't hear you. Ya' need something?"

"Where are my shoes?" Daniel demanded.

"Sorry?"

"My shoes?" Daniel hissed, anger creeping in his voice. "Where are my shoes, Michael?"

Michael shrugged. "I wouldn't know. Ya' know you shouldn't go around misplacing your things."

Daniel felt his nails dig into his palms. He huffed and took a deep breath before turning and walking back to his bed. Terry was ready and lacing his shoes, though he kept his head down and swallowed nervously when Daniel walked over.

"They took my shoes," Daniel hissed, anger thick in his tone. "Bastards."

"It's just a joke," Terry said meekly. "I'm sure they'll give them back."

"Not likely," Daniel said, scoffing and shaking his head at Michael. "Corners a bit of a prick."

"H—He's not that bad," Terry said.

Daniel scoffed and walked out of the dorm, his socks barely doing enough to keep the cold of the stone floors from his feet.

* * *

"I see the Nargles visited the boys in your year as well," Daniel heard as Luna slipped into the seat next to him. He caught a glimpse of fuzzy purple socks before her legs disappeared underneath the table. She had her lazy smile on as she slowly began to reach out to the food and began organizing it into neat little sections on her plate.

_So, they hit her as well,_ Daniel thought to himself flexing his toes in his socks.

"Wasn't Nargles Luna," Daniel said somberly. "Michael Corner's being an arse."

He looked down to where Michael was sitting and felt anger rise. The boy was smirking and waving over, his face smug and absolutely punchable.

"No, it's the Nargles. They made him strange?"

"Not heavy?"

"No. Heavy is for in your mind. Michael is strange in his heart." Luna drank a glass of water and made a _hmmm_ noise. "Nargles are strange creatures. I didn't think Hogwarts would be so full of them. I need to ask daddy to send me my anti-Nargle charms."

Daniel saw Terry enter the hall, the boy was prone to lagging behind. He lifted his arm and waved him over. Terry smiled, but it dropped quickly when his eyes made it to Luna. He managed a small wave and was quick to make his way over to Michael Corner.

"I think the Wackspurts have made Terry not likes me," Luna said.

"No," Daniel said. "He's just—"

Daniel looked up from his plate back to Terry. He was red-faced and ducking his head while Michael, Kevin, and Anthony all laughed. Daniel had the idea that Terry was most likely the butt of the joke rather than in on it.

He felt a sharp pain to his side. He knew that Terry thought Luna was strange, but, to choose to be the butt of a joke rather than sit with him. More laughter came from their end of the table and Daniel shrugged to himself and continued eating.

* * *

"You're missing your shoes," Daniel rolled his eyes and slid into the seat next to Hermione.

"Hadn't noticed," Daniel muttered as he pulled out his charms book and his wand.

"Where are they?" Hermione demanded.

"It was the Nargles," he gave a tight-lipped smile and opened the book. "And I intend to pay them back."

Before Hermione could press the issue, Flitwick climbed onto a stack of books on a wooden chair and cleared his throat. Hermione was quick to take out her quill and parchment practically tuning out everything in the class besides Flitwick.

"Good afternoon everyone! Wonderful to see you all. Now, since we have all seem to have mastered the Knockback Jinx, we will be moving on to Chapter Three of your books, _Lighting Your Wand_. Now as the title suggests, we will be learning this spell in order to be able to cast light to help you in darkness."

Flitwick went on about practical applications, how even Unspeakables and Hit Wizards depended on the simple spell. He explained that adding _Maxima_ to the end of the spell could increase the amount of light given. But he was quick to remind the students that while it was a simple spell, it needed as much focus to cast like any other.

Sighing to himself Daniel raised his wand and twirled it in his hand for a moment. He smirked to himself when Hermione glared at him for the " _irresponsible way you use your wand!_ " he chuckled and stopped twirling the wand and cleared his throat softly.

He flicked his wand down and rasped out the incantation. " _Lumos_ "

The tip of his wand flickered for a moment but the light was quick and faded. Furrowing his eyebrow, he took a breath and rasped out the incantation again.

" _Lumos,_ " He said, a bit louder but he winced.

The end of his wand flickered again but no steady light came out.

" _Lumos!_ " a voice boomed from across the room. Daniel grimaced and reluctantly looked up to see Michael Corner holding his wand up, a pearl of white light at the end of his wand. Daniel clenched his fists as more of the students began to cast the spell successfully.

" _Lumos,_ " He hissed, his teeth grinding against one another. The light seemed like a spark, and lasting as long as one.

Gently footsteps walked up to his desk and Daniel looked up. Flitwick stood on a hovering book and smiled, though it was laced with a mixture of pity and compassion. He nodded gently and the book moved on.

"Right, well it seems as if you all have the grasp of it," Flitwick said with a proud smile. "I knew it would be a quick lesson, but it seems you all always surpass my expectations. You may all go."

The Second-Years all rose chattering amongst themselves. Hermione looked over to Daniel.

He looked dejected, his hand rubbing his throat while his eyes were locked on his wand. She placed a hand on his shoulder and tried to give him a reassuring smile, but she felt that it might have fallen short. Not that he would have noticed, his eyes hadn't left the wand.

Daniel heard Hermione leave and sighed heavily closing his eyes and mulling over his problems with casting.

"More trouble?" Flitwick levitated the book he floated on over to Daniels's desk.

"You saw," Daniel said.

"I did. Pomfrey told me that you wouldn't be able to cast as easily as the others."

"She told me the same," Daniel gripped his wand and raised it. " _Lumos."_

The wand spat out several white sparks, they hopped across the classroom and faded into nothing. Daniel shook his head and pocketed the wand.

"Daniel," Flitwick began before pausing. He licked his lips nervously and sighed. "Well, verbal casting helps with magic when you are beginning. Most shout or speak at normal volumes. However, if you would be willing to part with some of your spare time, I would be more than happy to help you with your casting. It's not the volume that you speak, but it's how you focus your magic into the spell. As I said, speaking and saying the incantation often helps new wizards and witches in their magical education."

Daniel looked up from the desk and smiled at the professor. "You'd be willing to teach me how to cast better?"

"Of course!" Flitwick squeaked. "Of course I would. You are my charge, just as everyone in Ravenclaw are my charges. You require help, and so I shall do my utmost in order to help you. You have a bright future Mr. Loveage, but in order to get to that bright future, you must master the basics. This handicap of your voice is but an obstacle. And charms are meant to conquer obstacles."

* * *

The library was sparsely populated for it only being midday. Daniel could see that the rows of desks and seats were only sitting and gathering dust, waiting to be filled. Glancing back to the charms book that Flitwick had given him, he read a few lines before flipping through several pages, his eyes skimming the letters.

He had originally thought that silent casting simply was the act of saying the spell in one's mind, but as he read on he felt his stomach dropped as he began to realize that it was more complicated.

There was more emphasis on wand movements and an insistent need to keep the caster's mind clear and focused on what the spell could do. The book was mainly a variety of techniques and exercises to help reinforce non-verbal casting, but Daniel knew that it would be a long journey before he was able to do it perfectly.

"Hello Daniel," glancing up Daniel saw Luna, and a boy with mousy brown hair and sharp green eyes. "I hope I didn't chase off important thoughts."

"Not at all," Daniel smiled. "Who's this?"

"I'm Colin!" the boy practically shouted before sticking his arms out for Daniel to shake. "Colin Creevey!"

The name struck Daniel as familiar but not too much hit him beside the sense that he had heard the name before.

"Daniel Lovage." He shook the boy's hand and smiled at his enthusiasm.

Colin's eyes went wide and he smiled. "Oh, I know you! You're the Raspy Ravenclaw! Least that's what some of the Gryffindor's call you. And some of the Slytherins, but they don't mean it as us Gryffindors do. It makes sense as a nickname though. You do sound a bit raspy. But I don't mean in a bad way! Harry told us how your voice got like that. He said that a possessed Professor tried to kill you! I've heard some people say that Harry was lying though and that you just jinxed yourself so bad that it damaged your throat. But Harry wouldn't lie though! Plus, I doubt any First-Year knows any spells to hurt themselves that badly. Oh, by the way, have you seen a camera anywhere? I have one you see and—"

"Shhhhh!" the three students turned their heads to see Madam Pince glaring at them holding a long bony finger to her pursed lips.

"Sorry," Daniel whispered motioning for Luna and Colin to take their seats.

The two first years sat quickly and Colin looked around for Madam Pince before leaning forward in his chair.

"I heard you were with Harry last year. When he saved the Philosophers Stone or something like that."

Daniel smiled tightly and a hand went to his throat, rubbing the phantom pain that lingered. "Something like that."

"Was it scary?" Daniel nodded as an answer.

"Come now Colin," Luna said, her voice still light. "Daniel doesn't want to think about that."

Daniel nodded quickly and looked down at his book his hand still rubbing the throbbing in his neck.

* * *

He pounded his fist onto the thick oak door groaning as it wouldn't budge. He let out a roar of frustration and kicked the door his foot throbbing after. He knew that pounding on the door would do nothing, it was at least a foot thick, and had six steel beams running across the width of it.

Daniel knew he was dreaming. He felt it. He was lighter than he was when he was awake, not to mention he had no memory of how he had gotten in front of the door. Also, it was the same door that Voldemort had chased him to in so many of his dreams.

He hadn't seen the snake faced aberration, nor did he want to. But as he had sat in front of the thick door, curiosity had gotten the best of him.

He had tried everything to open the door. He had kicked, punched, hacked at it with an ax, thrown bottles, doused it in a fire, and of course, knocked. Yet it seemed that the door was incapable of being forced open. He had placed his ear against the rough wood and focused on his hearing, but the door was so thick that he wasn't able to hear anything that occurred from behind it.

So, Daniel had given up, temporarily, and instead simply sat with his back leaning against the door.

He gently rapped his knuckles against the rough wood and closed his eyes listening for any sort of noise.

As per usual there was only a silence that hung in the air like thick smoke. Closing his eyes Daniel pressed his ear against the door and held his breath as if it would help his hearing. He could still hear nothing and sighed heavily moving away from the door.

_Clink_.

He paused. His eyes darted to the door and he felt a tremor run up his throat. He heard something come from the door. Glancing around the empty hallway he pushed against the door and felt it give way, sweeping back gently.

Feeling a jolt of fear run through him he grasped the door handle and stopped it from moving. He walked forward and listened carefully. He could hear rustling, the barest hint of voices, and, it was laughter.

" _is it true?"_ Daniel shuddered as he heard the voices speak. He felt his breathing pick up and tried to calm himself as the voice spoke up. " _I mean how would you know?"_

" _I know many things, I dedicated my life to learning the intricacies of magic. I assure you, no harm will come to you, young man._ "

"Young man?" Daniel asked aloud. Who was talking?

" _But I assure you, it is indeed true._ "

" _Well, what can I say, other than, I will do what is asked of me, Mr. Riddle_."

Daniel froze as he heard the wretched name. He pulled away from the door and crawled away trying to get a grasp or even guess as to what was happening. His mind was filled with a million and one questions, and as he tried to even focus on one, the door was thrown open.

Tom Riddle, the sixteen-year-old prefect stood in the center of the door smirking as he looked down at Daniel.

"Ah, Mr. Lovage, just the man I wished to see. May I have the pleasure of introducing the rightful owner of this body." Riddle sidestepped and revealed the person he had been speaking too.

Daniel felt his blood run cold. No coherent thought came to him as he looked past Riddle. He managed to get to his feet and his breath came shallow and quick. He took a step forward and rubbed his eyes to see if he was imagining.

Daniel Lovage stood before Daniel Lovage.

"What?" Daniel said to himself still confused. "H—How?"

"It's a hell of a story," the other Daniel smirked. "I'll let Tom fill you in. I have a job to do."

Before he could react, his other self-reached out and grabbed him by the shoulders, dragging him back to the door. Daniel struggled but his other self was too quick and tossed him into the room he had so long wanted to enter.

He tumbled into the room groaning in pain.

"Sir, I'll make sure to begin as soon as I can."

"As I said, take a moment to get used to the body."

"Of course."

Daniel got to his feet and watched as his other self-disappeared into the hallway. Riddle turned and smirked triumphantly walking back into the room and snapping his fingers. The door shut with a loud _BANG_ and Riddle took a few steps into the room.

Daniel walked back, his eyes sweeping the room around him nervously. It was small, the walls light green, much like pea soup, and there were two couches facing each other, each a deep green.

Riddle smiled and took a seat on the couch, his back straight, and then motioned to the other couch.

"Sit. I've been waiting to talk with you. But you never opened the Diary."

Daniel glanced at the door and then to Tom who chuckled.

"Try it. But I assure you, you'll not be able to open it. Simple yet powerful spells you see."

Daniel walked cautiously to the couch and sat slowly, his eyes watching Tom. He clenched his hands to keep them from shaking and made the conscious effort to not bounce his leg.

"W—What do ya want?" he asked wincing at the shakiness in his voice.

"To speak to you. I waited for weeks for you to write in the diary. Yet you refused." Tom spoke softly, and Daniel could see the smile he wore, yet it never reached his eyes.

"I know what it does."

Tom's smile widened and he stood up and began walking around the room. He walked to a small side table and pulled out a bottle.

"Yes. I gathered that. But what behooved me, is how you seemed to know. I never told anyone, nor did I have plans to tell anyone. And even if in the future I did, you obviously do not hold many of the same beliefs I do. Therefore, _how_ could you know? This question had plagued me since I have been in your company." Riddle took a drink from the bottle and began to pace the room as he spoke, his voice light, but an underlying threat to it. "So, as you slept, I began to seep into your mind."

"I never wrote in the diary!" Daniel exclaimed standing up.

" _Sit down!_ " Tom's voice boomed and the glass in his hand shattered sending small shards of glass into the air. Daniel felt fear tear into him. Tom's hand was bleeding, but he simply chuckled and waved a hand over the wounds healing them before his very eyes. Daniel, took his seat, looking away from Tom. The older man took a breath and composed himself. "The Diary has many abilities. Possession is one, however simply having the diary in your possession, well, there is a reason you haven't taken it to Dumbledore. Simple compulsion charms and you were none the wiser. So, I laid in wait, and slowly glanced into your mind, and I must say what I have found is extraordinary."

"You can't," Daniel hissed shaking his head. "I never wrote in the diary."

"You absolute fool!" Tom laughed shaking his head and nearly doubling over. "You don't need to write in the diary. You simply need to _have_ it. All your thoughts, all your memories, they are mine! _All of them_!"

Daniel felt himself go pale. He shook his head and sunk into the couch.

"N—No. That's impossible. Not even I remember everything."

Tom gave a toothy grin. "Yes, yes I am aware. You have gaps, there are some things that are simply out of reach. And yet, some memories that are clear as day. I must admit, when I first came here, I was confused. I had expected to find this shell of a mind empty. But instead, I found you."

Tom chuckled and glanced around the room. Daniel looked and saw several still pictures. He could recognize some. The halls of the orphanage, the Hogwarts Express. He spotted him and Terry laughing in the library during their first year.

Tom flexed his hand and the wall began to shift. Daniel brought his hands to his head as his mind began to throb. He ground his teeth together and closed his eyes as pain lashed out in his skull. He could see glimpses of his past life. He could hear the chatter of boys and girls in the orphanage, yelling and laughing. He could hear car horns and feel people bumping him in an effort to get more room in the already cramped car. He remembered the smile on his face when an older girl (he couldn't remember her name, but he could see her face, long and freckled with dark hair tucked behind her left ear) giving him a worn-out copy of the philosopher's stone.

Daniel's eyes shot open and he gasped for air as a truckload of memories slammed into him. He looked up and felt small gaps in his mind slowly began to fill in. He remembered more of his past life, remembered Emma, the girl that had given him his first Harry Potter book. Daniel could feel himself beginning to grasp some other memories, to vaguely feel that he could remember them.

But then, as a lifetime of memories swarmed him, his skull began to crack, and his brain cooking in the bone meant to protect it.

"Fuck!" He screamed as he felt a sharp stabbing pain behind his eyes. He clutched his head and screamed, thrashing about the room. "Stop it!

"You should be thanking me. All I am doing is returning your memories. Though, if you really wish to not remember," Tom snapped his fingers and Daniel felt the tide of disorganized memories stop. He still got flashes of events, could see, smell, taste, and feel things that had never happened in the world he was currently in. "I shall not force you to remember. Though I hope you don't mind me indulging in some of your memories. They can be rather telling."

"Get out of my head! Get out of my memories!" Daniel screamed, the veins on his neck bulging, his face scarlet, and fat drops of sweat pouring down the back of his neck. " _Get out! Get out! Get out! Get out! Get out! Get out!_ "

Tom just continued to laugh, he took a seat and smiled as Daniel gripped his head. Daniel looked up to the seated Tom and ground his teeth together glaring at the invader. He could feel his teeth cracking, his nails digging into his scalp.

"I was invited to have the memories. So, I think I'll keep them if you don't mind. As I said, I expected to find this place empty. Yet imagine my surprise when I found an occupant." Daniel looked down and closed his eyes. He remembered how there was a version of himself talking with Tom. It made no sense though. Yet, in his overfilled mind of chaos, nothing made sense.

_What is it? What is it? What is it?_

The question hammered into his mind with every brief flash of memories that sped past his mind's eye _. Birthdays, beatings, bikes, blood._ He screamed and felt his hand pound the stone floor as his mind tried to sort the flood that had been dumped into his mind. _Classmates, cruelty, caution, crying._ He felt tears fall down his cheeks and sobbed begging for it to stop. _Runaway, return, retaliation, revert._ But it just kept going.

"You were not alone in your mind. When you occupied this body, it was not an empty shell."

_Stopping._

_Searching._

_Stealing._

_Staying._

"You invaded the body and the mind. Pushed the owner away. Into the deep recesses of _his_ own mind. But I found him. And he is so very angry. So spiteful of what you did to him."

_Enter._

_Encroach._

_Envy._

_Entomb._

"All it took was the promise of revenge. The promise to own his own body once more. And now he shall unleash my monster onto the mudbloods. I don't need you though. You're useless to me."

_Abandon._

_Apathy._

_Anger._

_Attack._

"So, I shall leave you here. With a front-row seat as you, but not you, brings this school to its knees."

_Pathetic._

"Can you feel it? Can you feel madness?"

_Powerless._

"I'll bring the entire school crashing down. And because of you. I know how to win."

_Painful._

"Don't worry though. I'm sure it'll be quite amazing."

_Pointless._

Daniel laid still, the tears flowing freely. His mind swimming with too many memories that he couldn't count them. His breath shuddered. Tom rose from his chair and left the room.

Daniel whimpered as it slammed shut.


	9. Fear, Hopelessness, and Anger

His eyes opened and air filled his lungs. He struggled to let the air out before he sat up and felt his lungs cry out for another breath of air. Taking a few deep breaths, he felt his body calm down and he smiled.

He glanced down at his hands and looked from the tips of his fingers to his wrists. He flexed his hands and rotated his wrists, feeling the joints roll around. He chuckled to himself snapped his fingers, his eyes going wide at the sensations.

Looking around he saw light beginning to flow into the dorm and a bright smile worked its way onto his face. Laying back down in the sheets he took another deep breath. The full feelings of his lungs was fascinating. He knew that it happened, but to feel the airflow into his chest was something that deeply fascinated him.

His mind went to breakfast and what different types of food would be waiting for him. He knew the different assortments that awaited. He imagined their tastes from the memories he had seen from Daniel.

He shuddered. The thought of _that_ name filled his mouth with a disgusting taste. He shook his head and leaned over the bed and spat out the wad of saliva. The taste lingered but he tried to put it out of his mind.

_That's not my name_ , he told himself.

His thoughts went to being trapped in his own mind while the _invader_ controlled his body. But Tom had handed the controls over to him. Now all he had to do was open a chamber, unleash the monster, and let it take down a few muggleborns.

A pang of guilt passed through him. But determination quickly replaced it.

He had been trapped in his own body for years. Confused and angry that some foreign extra-dimensional spirit had hijacked his body. Made him a prisoner in _his_ own mind. But he had control now. And all he had to do was let a mad dog off its leash to keep control.

It was an easy decision after eleven years of being trapped.

He got out of bed and quickly opened the trunk. Seeing the set of robes that were placed on top he smiled to himself and pulled them on. He noticed that his shoes were missing. The memory of Corner taking his shoes flashed in his mind. He would need to handle that.

Turning and looking into the mirror he smiled to himself. The robes fit him perfectly. He moved his hand up and gently poked his face.

He laughed softly at the squishy skin of his cheeks.

He glanced around the room and saw his sleeping classmates. Deciding it would most likely be best to leave them, he moved out of the dormitory.

He couldn't stop the look of amazement from working its way onto his face as he looked at the staircases switching back and forth. He felt a warm and exciting feeling filling him as he walked down the beautiful stone staircases. He could hear the stone echoing through the wide-open spaces of the grand staircase.

He passed several moving portraits and felt giddy as he pushed further and further into the castle. He followed the mental map that both he and the invader knew. He knew how many staircases he needed to go down, which turns to take. He even knew which staircases liked to change during certain times.

Stepping off the staircase he smirked to himself and crossed into the Great Hall.

It was sparsely populated, only a handful of students had arrived. Most of them older. A few Slytherins were huddled together around a book, while he could see two Hufflepuffs adorning a seat at their table with birthday decorations.

He was the only Ravenclaw at the table and none of the Gryffindor's had shown their faces yet. Several plates near him revealed food and for the first time in his entire life, he smelled bacon. He smelled orange juice, he smelled scrambled eggs and fruit. His mouth watered and he was quick to pile on a large amount of food onto his plate.

Licking his lips, he began to eat.

* * *

He sat by himself, looking at the commotion of the Great Hall. More and more people flooded in and the noise rose gradually with chatter.

He swallowed nervously and ducked his head as more and more Ravenclaws took their seats at the table. He tapped his fingers against the polished wood and a pit in his gut appeared to form. Though he chalked that up to how much he had stuffed into his face.

He felt a shove on his back and he was pressed against the dull edge of the table. He winced and felt a throbbing pain linger on his ribs.

He turned his head and saw three boys laughing. His shared memories with the invader placed the names on the boys. _Michael, Anthony, and Kevin._

"Sorry Raspy," Michael chuckled before taking his seat at the end of the table.

He raised his hand to his throat. The memory of the invader coming to mind. He had almost forgotten that he couldn't speak normally.

A sliver of resentment was added to the already growing mountain against the invader. He hadn't even been able to take care of the body he had stolen.

The girl the invader was friends with, Luna, dropped her bag onto the table and slid into the seat next to him. He looked over to her and then back to his empty plate, unsure of what to do or say. He continued to tap his hands against the table, his eyes darting from one end of the table to the next.

Luna remained silent and hummed to herself. But he winced at her humming. It was off. It didn't follow any particular rhythm and just seemed to be an assortment of different tunes that were cut up and shoved together.

He glanced down with a grimace and shook his head. The noise of the hall seemed to be trying to drown out her humming. At least that was what he had thought at first. Yet as he continued to sit there he felt himself grinding his teeth.

Her humming seemed to be louder than the crowd. He continuously looked down at her and she seemed none the wiser. She simply sat there and sliced small bits of fruit into her oatmeal rocking her head back and forth as she hummed random and annoying notes.

He felt anger bubbling up to the surface and stopped his tapping. He balled his fist up and let out a sigh.

"Can you stop?" He said, for the first time ever. Luna stopped and looked up to him, smiling gently.

"Oh, hello Daniel," he nearly growled at the name. _That's not my name. It's the Invaders_. "Sorry, I was just thinking of a tune my father likes to hum when he's writing."

"I don't care," he winced at the pain in his throat but pushed on. "I can't think. Just, stop it."

Luna tilted her head and nodded quickly before looking back to her breakfast.

He huffed to himself and shook his head. He rose from his seat and walked toward the exit of the hall. But as he walked just ten steps from his seat he felt his legs snap together and he let out a yelp as his body tipped forward.

He saw the incoming stone floor and flailed his arms as it came closer. He screwed his eyes shut and felt his face explode in pain.

He groaned and felt warm coppery fluid rush out of his nose and down his shirt. He brought his hand to his nose and squeezed it trying to stop the flow of blood. He looked up and saw Michael Corner and his friends laughing to themselves. A few of the Ravenclaws around him chuckled but turned their faces away before he could see their faces.

"Mr. Loveage!" he ground his teeth through the pain. He glared at Michael Corner, the cause of his trip. He knew what the leg locking jinx was. "Mr. Lovage are you alright."

_That's not my name,_ he thought.

Professor McGonagall approached him and waved her wand dispelling the jinx. She turned to look across the Ravenclaw table and spotted Michael Corner.

"Mr. Corner! My office! Ms. Lovegood, if you would escort Mr. Loveage to the Hospital Wing."

_That's not my name_.

"Come on Daniel," Luna said offering him her hand.

He pushed it away and got to his feet, his left hand still clutching his nose. His eyes tracked Michael Corner as McGonagall led him out of the Great Hall.

He moved, walking with Luna to the Hospital Wing.

_It's not my name_ , he thought.

* * *

He turned the page in the book. He wondered why the invader never bothered learning about the creatures that inhabited the magical world.

He found them so fascinating. There were giants, werewolves, _dragons!_ So destructive. Powerful. He couldn't imagine the amount of power they possessed. And yet those monsters were only beasts.

He turned the page. His mouth turned up in a thin smile.

_Wraiths_. Creatures that were the embodiment of souls who were either on the verge of death, or who have recently passed on. They were sources of unfinished business, of rage for those that had wronged them in life.

He skimmed the chapter, drinking in the words before him. Violent death, resentment, an unquenchable thirst for revenge. It was how Wraiths were born.

His finger traced the picture on the yellow page. It was a floating creature, skeletal, and covered in tattered rags. The book made it clear that it was not a Dementor.

Dementors were creatures with a never-ending hunger for souls, leaving their victims husks of what they once were. Wraiths, well Wraiths were creatures that had a never-ending hunger for death and destruction. The desire to wreak havoc on those that had wronged them.

They were rare. Not many people became Wraiths when they died. He chuckled, imagining his face behind the tattered robes that Wraiths donned.

He liked it. Wraiths were creatures of vengeance. Creatures of terrible power. Creatures that not many had the courage to deal with.

"Wraith," he rasped out. "Wraith. I like it."

Wraith closed the book and left the Library.

He had work to do.

* * *

"Daddy told me we were going to search for Heliopaths in Hawaii this summer. He's rather excited. But I told him that they won't be in Hawaii. They prefer deep-sea volcano's so that people won't disturb them. He said that…"

Wraith tried to tune the girl out. He wished that he could put a muzzle on her and be done with it. She would not stop talking no matter what.

He had written on a piece of paper that his throat hurt more than usual hoping that she would not try to converse with him. But all it did was send her on a warpath of rapid-fire facts on Heliopaths, Nargles, and a hundred and one imaginary animals.

"Do ya think that you might find traces of them in the volcanoes Luna?" and there was the Tweedle-dee to the Tweedle-dumbass. Colin Creevey was nothing if not annoyingly persistent in trying to make Wraith regret ever leaving the prison of his mind.

"Oh, that's the thing, even if they aren't in the Volcano, which they won't, there are always traces of their civilizations. Daddy and mum found traces during one of their earlier expeditions. Though it was before I was born."

"Amazing! Man, imagine if you found an entire city of them!"

"Oh, we probably won't. They aren't a species that like to congregate."

"Why's that?"

"Well when fire spirits tend to get together, there's typically a big fire."

"Oh! Well, I guess that makes sense. Say do ya think—"

"Shut up!" Wraith screeched. He felt his throat tear and blood began to flow. "For the love of everything shut up!"

Colin reeled back, Wraith could see tears welling up in his eyes. Luna stood silently, her hands were at her sides, though Wraith managed to catch her lip tremble for a moment. She took a step back and tilted her head in confusion.

"Both of you! Shut up! Heliopaths don't exist! Nargles don't exist! Just shut up!" He felt relief washing over him as he unloaded onto the two first years. "All day it's just the two of you jabbering on about some sort of conspiracy or group of monsters that don't exist. Just shut up! It's not real!"

Luna's eyes seemed to fill with tears, but they never left Wraiths. She shook her head and stood defiantly in front of him.

"You're not Daniel," she whispered, her voice cracking.

Wraith felt his stomach drop in fear. Other students gathered around and watched the scene in confusion. He chuckled to himself, realizing his fear was misplaced.

"You really are Lonny!" He laughed and shook his head. He could feel the pain in his throat growing more intense. He raised his arm and motioned at Luna. "Loony Lovegood ladies and gents! Loony Lovegood!

He turned and walked away, his feet taking him to the Hospital Wing. He smiled the whole walk there. Happy to be rid of those two.

* * *

He felt his breath leave him in shaky uneven. Nervously, he tugged the cloth of his blindfold and nodded, sure in the security of the cloth.

_Let me guide you_. Tom's voice called out from within him.

He felt a cold chill rise up his spine. He gasped and slowly felt control of his body rescinding.

_I simply need it for the time being. Only to call out the Beast._ Wraith trusted him. He nodded and relinquished the last of his control. He could still hear, and see, though it was blocked by the blindfold.

He could feel his mouth open. The way his mouth moved was not English or any conceivable language. But he knew it had to be parseltongue.

" _Speak to me, Slytherin, greatest of the Hogwarts Four_."

There was a rumble and the stone mouth of Slytherin opened.

Wraith could hear the Basilisk slither from its cavern. There was a thud as its body dropped to the stone floor of the Chamber.

" _Who summons me?"_ The Basilisk asked, though its tone was subservient.

" _Oh Great Weapon of the Great House of Slytherin, I, the Heir of Slytherin summon you to cleanse the school of those not worth. Blood Traitors and Mudbloods."_

" _As was Salazar's wish!"_ The monster hissed into the air and came face to face with Wraith's body. " _I am here to serve, master_."

" _Good. Now, here is the name of the first of your prey._ " Wraith smiled in his mind. Tom had promised him retribution.

* * *

Terry watched Daniel cautiously. He didn't want to say anything. He knew that the two of them hadn't been on the best of terms. But there had simply been a shift in his behavior.

He was cold. He brushed past everyone, often bumping and sending people to the ground. He would glare and remain silent, to whoever tried to speak to him.

Though Terry had noticed that he was not the only one to have spotted the shift in behavior.

Though because he was shutting people out, didn't mean that people didn't try to get through to him.

Hermione Granger had tried speaking to Daniel during a potions lesson, however, he had tuned her out, remaining stoic and brewing without her help. Terry remembered that Daniel had finished a full half-hour before the class was set to be done, but rather than waiting silently, he had bottled his potion and stormed out of the class. Most of Ravenclaw had been angry as he had costed the house fifty points for that stunt.

But Hermione was hardly the only one to try and speak to him. Colin Creevey and Luna his only friends had attempted to speak to him. Luna raving that he didn't mean it.

Terry could still remember when Daniel had snapped at the two. He towered over them, his eyes like knives digging into the two first years. Colin had cowered away, and even Luna's eyes seemed to be filling with tears. She had gone on for days that it wasn't really Daniel. That something was wrong. But like most of everything Luna said, it had fallen on deaf ears.

But after another week of watching him, Terry knew something was up. Daniel wasn't himself. Something had happened to him. Something drastic.

Terry had been trying to work up the courage to have a discussion with his friend about it, but that was when the petrification's had begun.

Terry felt a cold chill rise up his spine as he thought of when Michael Corner had been found. There had been no warning no threats. On Halloween, Michael had simply been found petrified in the middle of the men's bathroom. At first many had thought it a prank, but when he didn't wake up, fear had set in.

Everyone had been so confused at the random act, that paranoia began to seep into the minds of the students.

So now, Terry sat alone. Glancing over his shoulder and watching everyone. But as they always did, Terry's eyes glanced over to Daniel, sitting up as if he had a stick wrapped around his torso. He ate slowly, his face beyond stoic, his eyes not moving from the plate in from of him.

Cold didn't even begin to describe how his friend had been acting. He knew that he had been having difficulties with his voice and whatnot, but to be that withdrawn, to abandon Luna and ignore Hermione Granger, Terry knew there was more to it than just withdrawing.

Problem was, if Daniel wasn't talking to Luna or Hermione, he wouldn't talk to him. He needed help.

* * *

"I don't buy it!"

"Come on Ron, even you have to admit, he's been acting strange."

"Yeah, I know that Hermione, but you think he was the one that did that to Michael?"

Terry felt his stomach sink as the only people he thought could help had been bickering for the past five minutes. He knew that the three Gryffindors were problem solvers. Daniel had been with them when they had saved the stone. But he had hoped that they would do more than fight.

"He's not himself," Terry looked down at Luna. The girl looked down at her feet, her hair hanging over her face. "I looked into his eyes. They weren't Daniel's. They were someone else's."

Ron scoffed and shook his head. "But he's muggleborn! How the bloody hell could he have figured out how to petrify someone like that. He can't even cast Lumos!"

The group fell silent. Terry looked at the faces of the Trio and Luna. They were all contemplating Daniel's possible connection to what had happened to Michael. While it was known that the two hated each other, more Michaels doing, it was still impossible to figure out _how_ Daniel could have done it if it was him.

"If only we could see the inside of his mind!" Harry seethed kicking the wall next to him.

Hermione gasped looking up to Harry, a small smile breaking out on her face.

* * *

"It doesn't make any sense. How could a potion let us go into someone's mind?" Harry asked shuffling through the fourth potions book.

The five students had spent the better part of three hours slogging through the restricted section hoping to find any potion book that had anything to do with the mind. Hermione was convinced that she had seen something of the sort, but all they had come across was potions that helped improve memory.

"Magic is magic, Harry. Just because it's a potion doesn't mean that it's any less magical. I mean by saying a potion isn't magic is like saying your wand is a piece of wood. It's a medium, a way for magic to flow differently." Hermione sighed before closing the book in front of her and shoving it forward.

"Anything?" Terry asked the table.

"I think I got something," Ron said. "I mean, I can't really read it. I think it's like maybe German. But the pictures and stuff seem like it might be what we're looking for."

Hermione was quick to snatch the book and Ron yelled indignantly. Hermione scanned the page and nodded to herself. The images depicted a bubbling potion with smoke rising from the cauldron and swirling into a wizard's mouth. His eyes were colored in with black ink and there was an open door in the center of his forehead.

"I think you're right Ron. I mean I don't speak German either, but the diagrams do seem to be what we want."

Luna took the book next and smiled brightly.

"It is!" She stood up and showed the book to Hermione. "It says that it's called the Mind Seeker potion. It allows you to enter the mind of the one you are seeking. But…"

Luna went quiet as she read through the lines. Her brow furrowed and a frown etched itself onto her face slowly. "I don't know what some of these ingredients are."

"How? Seemed like you spoke German a minute ago," Harry said grabbing the book and skimming the words he couldn't read.

"Ich lerne Deutsch, ich bin nicht fließend," Luna huffed before taking a seat.

"What?" Terry asked but quickly shook his head deciding it would be better to stay on topic. "Look can we make it or not?"

"We can," Hermione said. "We just need to figure out the ingredients that Luna can't translate."

"Isn't there a spell for that?" Harry asked.

* * *

Wraith trembled. He looked up and felt tears stinging his eyes. He dropped his head and swallowed hard.

He knew what he had agreed to. Petrification and death if they looked straight into the eyes of the monster. Yet he couldn't shake the guilt. He couldn't shake the unease that he felt when he had seen Michael's body frozen like stone in the middle of the bathroom.

It was, horrifying. Worse was that he had a hand in it. He allowed Voldemort to control his body, to unleash the beast.

And now he had to live with it.

Wraith took a breath and tried to steady himself. He had thought he was prepared to deal with Corner's demise. It had been only luck that he had seen the Basilisk through a reflection. They had caught him when he was in the bathroom. He was washing his hands when the beast appeared behind him.

Corner could only get half an utterance of a scream out before he was frozen where he stood.

He thought that killing the boy would give him peace, but petrifying him by accident was so terrifying that he couldn't have imagined what he would have felt like if he had killed him.

_You are disturbed_ , he heard Voldemort say.

Wraith closed his eyes and nodded.

_Why? Isn't this what you wanted?_

"I thought so," Wraith whispered. "But, we could have killed him. I wanted him dead. I wanted to hurt him, but now. It seems so…"

_Cruel?_ Wraith nodded his head. _I know how you are feeling. I felt just as you did once. Unsure of the measures that were required. But I assure you. If extreme measures are not taken against your enemy, then they will take extreme measures against you._

"They can't all be bad," Wraith said.

_They can. And they are._

* * *

The halls were nearly empty. Only a few students milled about. Most through had their noses stuck in books. However, a few glared at Wraith as he walked past them. His eyes briefly glanced at their house colors. Ravenclaws. From their size, third years.

Most of the house had seemed to turn on him. To them, he was the prime suspect in the petrification of Michael Corner. They were correct, but they had no evidence besides the obvious animosity between the invader, Wraith, and Corner. Nor the guilt he carried from the action.

"Oi! Lovage!"

He stopped walking, a growl working its way up his throat. He knew the voices.

"Anthony, Kevin," he winced at the raspy voice but slowly turned. "Can I help you?"

Anthony and Kevin had their arms crossed across their chest. The two third-years he had walked past took places beside Anthony and Kevin. None of them had their wands raised.

"We know what you did! You put Michael in the hospital wing! You petrified him!" Anthony spat.

"Oh? And how could I have done that? We're in the same year. Besides, as Michael and you are so fond of saying, I'm a muggleborn." He might have agreed to help Tom, but the knowledge he had was useful. Muggleborn, half-blood, pureblood, none of it mattered. Michael was rotten though. He was full of nothing but malice and contempt.

Not to say Wraith considered himself similar to Michael. He was justified. Having his body stolen made him feel justified.

"You petrified him you mudblood!" Kevin shouted. "You petrified him! And you're gonna turn him back!"

"Such loyalty," Wraith mocked. "What you that scared he's gonna start picking on you?"

Kevin charged wraith and the boy moved out of the way and pushed him. He smirked to himself, but as he turned he felt an elbow connect with his jaw.

Wraith fell to the ground groaning and closed his eyes as pain wracked his jaw.

"We know it was you!" the third-year boy that had hit him said. "Ravenclaw protects its own. Even from our own members."

"Well you've been doing a shit job at it," Wraith groaned. "Remember when I got tripped and landed on my nose? Where were you lot then? What about when I had my stuff stolen? Or when I was getting harassed for being muggle?"

The third-year grabbed Wraith and shoved him against the wall.

"Tell us what you did to Corner!"

Wraith struggled against the third year. He thrashed his arms about and kicked his legs but the boy's compatriot came and helped hold him down. Anthony and Kevin walked slowly and calmly before Wraith.

"Tell us what you did to Michael," Kevin demanded.

Wraith smirked and leaned towards them. "I didn't do anything."

The third-year boy raised his fist and brought it down hard.

* * *

Wraith dragged his body into the common room slowly, left arm clutching his bruised torso. His nose dripped blood onto his robes. He could feel his breath shuddering, he had almost regretted not going to the Hospital Wing, but as he climbed the stairs, his legs aching with every step, with ever centimeter he had to raise his foot, he was filled with resolve.

He moved to the stairs leading to the dormitory, his body aching as he lifted slogged across the common room. He could feel his body begging to rest. But he still had two flights of stairs to climb.

His lungs had begun to sting halfway to the stairs. He dragged himself across the common room, half asleep, and leaving a light trail of blood behind him.

"Daniel?" Wraith growled at the awful name. He turned and saw Terry Boot sitting at one of the common rooms' tables. The boy was wide-eyed and rose from the table. He took a half step forward but froze as if there was an invisible wall between the two of them.

_That's not my name._

Wraith glared at the boy. He brought his hand to his nose and wiped a small drop of blood from his face.

"I'm fine," he said, continuing his walk.

As far as Wraith was concerned, Boot could burn with the rest of the Muggles and half-bloods.

"What happened?" Terry asked suddenly.

Wraith stopped and felt his anger and pain burning a hole in him. He looked over his shoulder, and he saw the pity, the confusion in Boot's eyes. He could feel every ache and every scrape on his body ten times worse.

He was being pitied by a boy who was so desperate to fit in that he took insults as jokes, and let his friend be bullied. He was being pitied by a boy who was scared to be seen by a girl that he thought was strange, because it may result in him being bullied as well.

Wraith ground his teeth and took several heaving breaths.

He was being pitied by a nobody.

"Go to bed Boot. Dark things are happening all over the castle."

* * *

Time passed through the castle. The students went on and tried to ignore the growing count of petrified students.

Anthony Goldstein and Kevin Entwhistle had been among the students that no longer roamed the halls. Terry and the others were certain that it was Wraith behind the attacks. But short of finishing the potion that they were concocting, there was little that they could do.

Wraith, however, was an outcast in his own house.

Every Ravenclaw, save Luna and Terry, looked upon him with fear and hatred. They felt it was him, for it was his tormentors that were winding up petrified. Though there were a few mixed between his bullies that seemed to have nothing to do with him, but that was Tom's doing.

_Tom_ , Wraith thought. The spirit was raving in his mind. Ranting and screaming in frustration. All the students that had been attacked hadn't died. All of them simply petrified. Tom was sure that fate was trying to destroy his plan, and Wraith could not fault him.

Luck seemed to be on the student's sides. Mirrors, damp floors, and reflective surfaces seemed to have been in place to protect the students. Almost as if the castle was trying to interfere.

As the snows began to fall students began discussing their holiday plans, saying how excited they were to go home or explore the castle, the five students that were bent on learning what had happened to their friend met once more in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom.

"Is it ready yet?" Ron paced the room and looked down at the bubbling pot nervously. He glanced around the room and saw Terry sitting on one of the chairs they had brought into the bathroom.

"Almost," Hermione said. She scooped a ladle into the potion and pulled out a deep purple substance. She lowered the ladle and nodded. "Terry, did you bring it?"

Terry dug into his bag and pulled out a small bag of a few hairs.

"I got it from his pillow when we were all at dinner."

Hermione took the bag and dumped it into the potion. There was a quick puff of green smoke before the potion shook the cauldron. Hermione rose from her spot on the fool and took a step back.

"Alright. So, we all drink this tonight, in our dorms, then—"

"I figure out a way to give it to him," Terry said softly. "I don't know if I can. He doesn't like me anymore."

"It's not him," Luna said softly.

"It doesn't matter. Daniel, even before all this, we weren't in the best place. I can't just walk up, hand him the potion, and say bottoms up."

Hermione deposited a small amount of the potion into a crystal vial, putting a stopper in before grabbing another.

"You have to get him to drink it," Hermione said. "If he doesn't then nothing will happen and all of this will be for nothing."

Terry sighed but nodded. Hermione handed him two vials and he quickly deposited them in his robes. None of the younger years decided to stick around, each of them leaving and heading to their respective dorms.

Terry watched his shoes as he walked the familiar path back to Ravenclaw Tower. He listened to the echoing of the vast hollow space of the Grand Staircase. As his feet trudged up he felt the weight of the year pushing down on him.

He looked to his right and saw Luna walking gently beside him. She was glancing around the large space, waving at portraits as they passed by. She began to hum the strange, off-tempo, familiar tune once again.

He could scarcely believe that the cause of his and Daniels fracture was the young strange girl Luna Lovegood. And yet she would be a key part of their reconciliation. He chuckled and focused on his feet again, trudging up the stairs and trying to figure out how he could get Daniel to drink the potion.

Luna's soft gentle hand took his. He nearly jumped when he felt her hand slip to take his. He looked from the now clasped hands to Luna and saw her smile.

"It'll be alright. We'll get him back. We just need to make him less heavy," Luna looked forward and Terry felt resolve fill him as he walked forward. Determined to get his friend back.

* * *

_**We need to increase the number of attacks. If we do nothing then the Board of Governors will not act**_ _,_ Wraith nodded as he picked up the quill from its ink well.

Wraith and Tom were beginning to have nightly talks through the diary. Tom said that by talking to him through his mind there ran the risk of letting out the invader.

_**We will have to act soon. Students are leaving for Holiday, if we were to attack when the school was so sparsely populated, it could expose us.** _

_**You are right Wraith. We shall halt attacks for now. Resume when safe for us** _ _**. Then I shall be reborn in this world as Lord Voldemort** _ **.**

Wraith held the quill above the diary for a moment. A blot of ink dropped onto the page and quickly disappeared. He pulled his hand away and glanced around the room nervously. Memories that weren't his flooded his mind. Memories of Ginny Weasley's life force being drained from her body.

_**Sir, if I may ask**_ **,** he hesitated.

_**What is it Wraith?**_ Came the honey-coated response.

_**To be reborn, you must take the life force of someone. Sir, I mean no offense, however, I do not wish to die when I have just begun to live.** _

He could feel the book vibrate and felt a shot of panic quickly spread through his body. He had feared that he had angered the soul trapped within the pages. That Voldemort had been reborn too early and he was no longer dealing with Tom Riddle.

_**My friend, Wraith, you need not worry**_ , he felt relief instantly. He could feel Tom Riddles amusement radiating from the pages and he began to calm down for a moment **.** _ **Fear not. In order to be reborn, all I require is a soul to inject into my own, so that I can be whole. And as I know, you have a spare soul within you.**_

_**You don't need my soul?** _

_**Not at all! I require the soul of your guest**_ **.** _ **When the time comes, I will take his soul and be reborn. And he will no longer be a concern of yours**_ _._ Wraith smiled and dipped his quill into the inkpot.

_**Of course, sir. I am relieved to hear it. I cannot wait until you are reborn.** _

_**Indeed, my friend. Together we shall rule. Now I must rest. Speaking, even though the pages exhausts me.** _

Wraith nodded and quickly scribbled a goodnight onto the pages before placing the diary into his nightstand. Dressing into his pajamas he was just beginning to slip underneath the covers when his only remaining roommate entered the dormitory.

Terry looked to him and swallowed nervously. He crossed the room and took a seat on his bed, his back to Wraith. He glanced over his shoulder and Wraith frowned at the boy. Perhaps he would ask Tom to unleash the basilisk onto him next.

_No!_ Wraith groaned as he heard the distant shout from within his mind. He closed his eyes and tried to force the voice to quiet. He didn't know what the invader was doing inside the cage he had been trapped in for so long, but every so often he would hear the invader's voice.

"You alright Daniel?" Terry asked looking over his shoulder at Wraith.

_That's not my name_.

"I'm fine Terry," he snapped. "Just tired."

Terry perked up and nodded reaching into his robed and pulling out two vials.

"Me too. But with everything happening, I haven't been sleeping. Madam Pomfrey gave me a few sleeping draughts in case I couldn't fall asleep. You want one?"

Terry lifted the vial and Wraith, taken aback at the boy's sudden mood for conversation and friendliness, shook his head.

"No, thank you, Terry. I can fall asleep on my own thank you."

"No, but, these are really good. Pomfrey said that it'll put you to sleep faster than most draughts," Terry stood up and walked over holding the vial out for Wraith to take.

Wraith shook his head once more and pushed Terry's hand away.

"I'm fine Terry."

"No!" Terry shouted, "I mean, no come on. It's fine! Here watch."

Terry pulled a second vial from his robed and tilted it back. He shuddered and his face scrunching up, but he looked up, tears welling up in his eyes, but he forced a smile.

"See, in a few moment's I'll be sleeping. So, come on, drink up!"

A bit shocked, and slightly disturbed by Terry's mania, Wraith took the potion and took a small sip. The liquid was warm and yet set his mouth on fire. Out of reflex he swallowed and dropped the vial spilling the last of the contents onto the floor.

He coughed and shook his head trying to spit out any of the potion that he hadn't swallowed. He looked up at Terry and saw the boy still forcing a smile. Turning away he closed the curtains around his bed and turned on his side.

_He's next,_ was all Wraith thought before closing his eyes. As he slipped into sleep, he couldn't help but wonder what the cold chill running up his spine was.

* * *

Terry felt a cold chill fill his entire body. All he could see was an icy white space surrounding him. But he felt as if he wasn't still. He could feel his body being propelled, quickly. He felt the drag on his body, he could sense the speed at which he was traveling, yet the air was still as could be.

His attempted to move his legs and was surprised to not feel the usual weight he felt when moving his leg. He twisted his body, not feeling much in the way of weight, or even the feeling of the air on his skin.

Bringing his hands to eye level he gasped. His hands had a blue hue to them, yet remained partly transparent. It looked much like the ghosts of Hogwarts. See-through yet fuzzy enough where one could only make out what was on the other side of his hand only partially.

He felt the pull on his body began to lighten and the bright white light that surrounded him began to dim. The never-ending plain white landscape around him soon was being replaced.

Stone corridors and wooden floors came into existence. Terry looked around and felt a sense of familiarity as he moved through the corridor. He noticed a few suits of armor decorating the walls.

Terry moved through the hall, searching for any sign of his friends.

"Hello!" he called out, his voice echoing through the halls. "Hermione? Luna? Ron? Harry?"

His voice reverberated through the halls. He felt the halls shake and heard the wood underneath him groan. Out of reflex Terry prepared to balance himself but found that while the Corridor shifted and moved he stayed still.

Looking down at his feet, Terry saw that he was floating a few inches off of the ground. He laughed and moved his foot forward trying to walk. He moved, though not as much or as fast if he had been solid.

Thinking quickly, he put his feet together and, in his mind, willed himself to move. He felt his body floating forward and chuckled at the strange state he had found himself in.

Focusing, he moved forward and began to explore the corridor.

He passed by several hallways and locked doors, however, he continued forward, hoping to catch sight of anything that might clue him in on what had happened to Daniel.

The halls around him were all bare. Though he still passed a lone suit of armor from time to time. Terry took random turns and passed through doors after learning he could not grasp door handles. He had nearly yelped when his hand passed through a door handle.

As he began to lose hope of ever finding anything that would clue him in on what had happened to Daniel, he arrived at the end of the hallway. The stone walls and wood floors all converged onto a great wooden door with steel bars reinforcing it.

Terry moved close to the door and lifted his hand to touch it. He closed his eyes and hoped that he would be able to pass through the door. He felt a sinking feeling in his stomach that he would have traversed the entire hall behind him only to be denied the chance to help his friend. Terry took a deep breath and moved his hand forward.

"Oh, hello Terry!" He screamed and pulled his hand back turning quickly to see who had spoken.

"I hope we didn't frighten you," Luna tilted her head, smiling softly at the boy. Harry, Ron, and Hermione stood behind her, though, much like Terry, they were floating more than they were standing.

"We've been looking everywhere for you mate!" Ron said moving forward and coming before the door. "Huh, so this is the end of that damned hall. You been inside?"

"No!" Terry said glad that no one brought up his very high-pitched scream, "I just got here. I was about to go through when you lot showed up."

"Huh, well, we woulda got here sooner but, well we can't bloody move as fast as we can when we walk. It's damned annoying!" Harry said floating forward slowly. "I mean, if I could at least walk, I'm sure we would have found each other sooner."

"Luna and I only managed to find Harry and Ron just ten minutes ago," Hermione said motioning to the two boys. "And now you here in front of the door."

"What the hell is this door anyway. All the other ones were just regular doors. This one though," Ron moved forward and looked up at the imposing, dark, wooden slab. "Bloody hell, this thing is huge."

"I was just about to go through," Terry said. "I don't know why but I have a feeling this is it. If we're gonna learn anything it's here."

"What makes you think that?" Harry asked.

"Biggest door we've found. Must have something important behind it," Terry said.

With that logic, Terry lifted his hand and moved it to the wood. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes as his hand got closer. He heard Harry gasp in surprise and he opened his eyes and saw his forearm going through the wood. Smirking to himself, Terry motioned for the others to follow and moved his whole body through the door.

* * *

" _I'm on a swing, and my friend is there. But it's Terry's face, and he's laughing. But Terry wasn't there. But then I just see the castle and I can hear people talking but they're talking about an app, but there are no phones in Hogwarts_."

The memories were blurring together. Faces where they shouldn't have been, places where they didn't exist. It was as if his mind was a blender and the memories were being diced together.

" _I can hear music and see people that shouldn't, that don't exist._ " His mind was blurring with the lines of what was written and what was fake. Small chunks of what he had read and larger pieces of mostly whole memories were fighting each other to be at the front of his brain first. Wanting to find their place and be sorted.

" _Lines, something about crossing a line,"_ he could hear a man yelling at him, screaming that he was no different than him. He screwed his eyes shut, a stabbing pain coming from behind them. He clutched the sides of his head and felt sobs trying to come up his throat. " _I'm on a bus, and someone's kicking the back of my seat. No someone bumped me moving past. No, someone is screaming."_

He tried to focus, again. He tried to remember the books.

" _Harry, he… he has a Horcrux. No, he is one. No… no, he— he—he dies. No, but—"_ a thousand different thoughts came to him at once. Theories and ideas came rushing forward like an endless flood. He felt the force of the memories. He remembered reading so much. He remembered different endings, different characters. " _He's a killer. He's powerful. He's weak. He's grey. He doesn't care."_

Harry was so many different things. He couldn't be that many. Daniel rushed to stand up. He tossed a table over and screamed. He screamed and he screamed. His throat ran raw and he felt tears running down his cheeks.

" _Ron. Friend. Villain. Bashing. Kind. Mean. Supportive."_ He didn't understand it. So many people were being seen as so many different things in his mind. They were bad and good. They were nice and evil. _It hurts. It hurts. It hurts._

" _Hermione. Know-it-all. Kind. Condescending. Helpful. Devious. Defensive."_ It made no sense. They were contradicting. But he didn't know where it came from. He wasn't sure how he could remember ten different versions of the same story. How he could there be different versions of the others.

"Daniel?" He turned his head. He could feel his sweaty hair sticking to his face while fat drops of sweat flowed down his neck.

Terry stood by the door. He looked worried. He looked scared.

Daniel felt his breathing become heavier. Terry had blue eyes, and they looked like they were glowing. His mind flashed with a dozen different faces with blue eyes.

Daniel screwed his eyes shit and suppressed a groan that was trying to claw its way through his throat.

He saw a boy. " _What's his name? What's his name?_ "

"It's me, Terry."

The boy was taller than he was. His eyes were blue. His jaw was strong. And he had his fists up.

" _Go away. You're here to fight_."

"Daniel we're here because we need to know what's happening," Hermione came forward. He could see her lips trembling, her eyes darting from his shaking hands to the crimpling anxiety in his eyes. "We're here to help."

_We're here to help._

_We're here to help._

_We're here to help._

He had heard the phrase so many times. Before being dragged out of foster homes. Principles that didn't know his name. People that didn't care but wanted to show that they did.

Hermione reached out her hand. His vision flashed.

Her hand was a fist.

Her hand was a belt.

Her hand was the headlights of a bus.

He screamed and tried to shove her away. His hands passed through her nearly translucent body. He pulled back his hands looking at them in shock. He backed away and shook his head.

" _W-what. No—No—No."_ He brought his hands to his ears and tried to silence the memories. " _When? When? When? When?"_

"Daniel!" Terry shouted moving in front of him and snapping his fingers. "Focus. Come on! Focus!"

" _Focus?_ " he gasped, screwing his eyes shut and taking a deep breath. _"When? When?"_

"Focus. Right here, right now. Come on focus!"

" _Here."_ His body shook and he opened his eyes looking on the faces of his friends. Fiends! He blinked, recognizing where he was. "Here! Terry!"

Terry laughed and nodded. "Yes! I'm here Daniel!"

"H—H—How?"

"It doesn't matter," Terry said. "What is happening? Why are you acting like you are out there?"

"Memories," Daniel felt the tide rising and shook his head. "There's just this, tide of memories."

"What memories?" Harry came forward and knelt before him.

Daniel shook his head. "No time. The diary. Black leather. T.M. Riddle. Destroy it."

Daniel heard voices and laughter. He saw his old room and one of his friends. His face split with Terry's.

"It's not me," he whispered. "Wraith. It's Wraith. I'm trapped. Snape! Go to Snape! Voldemort. It's his Diary!"

Snape was a Legilimens. Snape would know what to do. As much as he tried, thoughts that Dumbledore's intentions were anything less than pure kept sprouting in his mind like weeds.

"What do you mean?" Terry wished he could grab Daniel by the shake thee information out of him. "What do you mean Voldemort?"

"I found a diary," Daniel closed his eyes, the stabbing pain coming back. "It was his diary. It took over. Unleashed Wraith. Go to Snape. Snape can help. Myrtles Bathroom. It's—It's… Ugh! The Chamber. It's a Basilisk."

"What Chamber?" Terry asked.

Daniel's head shot up and he looked to each of his friend's faces, each more confused than the last.

"The Chamber. Enemies of the heir beware." Daniel felt the pain building up. "Go. I can't. It's—it hurts. There's too much. Get me out of here. Please. Snape. Snape can help. Please…"

Terry felt the cold chill in his back once again. He looked away from Daniel and turned to his friends. Ron had his hands up to his face and was slowly fading, Hermione was chastising herself for not using a larger dose that would have let them stay longer.

Terry looked back at Daniel. "We'll help you. Just hold on. Don't worry."

Daniel's breathing evened out and he leaned his head back. " _I'm running. I can hear laughter. A name is shouted, but the name is skewed. Malcolm? Michael? Mary? Marcus?"_

Terry took a step back. Daniel's voice sounded ethereal. His voice echoed and white wisps of air flew from his mouth as he spoke.

Terry felt his body began to fade.

"We'll help you!" Terry called out as the image of Daniel faded from his vision.

* * *

_Did you feel it?_ Wraith wrote slowly, his body was curled into a small nook underneath the Astronomy Tower Staircase.

_I did._

_**What was it?**_ He clutched the quill tightly. He had begun to feel sharp pains behind his eyes. Worse, he could hear the invader, like an echo in his ears, but still audible.

_**I cannot be certain, however, based on** _ **his** _**memories, we must assume Potter and his friends have taken an interest in you.** _

Wraith felt fear creeping into him. He looked to his hands, to the small sliver of sky he was able to see through a gap in the wall. He knocked his knuckles against the rough stone and swallowed nervously.

He had just gained this body. He wouldn't lose it.

_**Should we go after them?** _

_**No. Not yet. When I kill Harry Potter I shall do it, when I am not a soul trapped in a diary. No. We must advance our plans.** _

Wraith paused for a moment. His quill hovered over the paper. He knew the next phase of the plan.

_**Sir, I don't know if I am ready for that.** _

_**It is the only way. Trust me. Soon your invader shall be no more, and I shall walk the Earth. I trust you. Just remember the plan.** _

_**I will.** _

_**But first, we must know what your invader told them.** _

_**How do we do that?** _

_**You must speak to him.** _

* * *

Hermione skimmed through the library's copy of _Hogwarts: A History_ while the other four silently discussed what their encounter with the trapped Daniel had meant. Luna was not able to meet with them as she was in double potions.

"What do ya think he meant by the Chamber of Secrets?" Harry asked looking over his shoulder as if Daniel would walk into the library.

"I'm not sure," Ron said. "But he seemed worried. I mean, if what Luna's told us about Basilisks is true, then we're in some deep trouble."

"Why don't we just go to Dumbledore though?"

"Because Harry, Daniel told us not to. And, look, I know he seemed out of it, but he was scared. He begged me not to go to Dumbledore," Terry said, his eyes staring down into the smooth wooden table.

"He said not Dumbledore, but said to go to Snape, what sense does that make?" Ron asked.

Terry groaned and shook his head. He wanted nothing more than to bash his head into the table beneath him. He had been plagued with questions regarding his friend ever since they had left his mind. The sight of the crazed and imprisoned Daniel was one that had left him frightened. He hadn't slept in his dorm since that night. He was too scared to sleep in the same room as whatever it was that had possessed his friend.

"I don't know. But I feel like we should talk to Snape."

"But it's Snape!" Harry and Ron groaned and leaned back in their seats.

"And Daniel told us to go to him!" Terry shot out of his seat, shouting at the two. "He told us to go to Snape so we have to go to Snape!"

"Shhhhh!" Terry saw Madam Pince holding her bony finger to her pursed lips, red-faced and nearly shaking. "If you aren't going to be silent then leave!"

Terry rolled his eyes and grabbed his book bag.

"If you lot aren't going to go to him then I will!" Terry stormed out of the Library, off to the dungeons.

"Terry wait!" He could hear Harry calling, but Terry simply moved faster ignoring them.

He brushed past a group of Slytherins. He felt so angry, he felt so frustrated. He knew what Daniel had told him that night. He knew what he wanted. Yet Harry and the others couldn't see past their hatred for Snape.

He navigated the staircase as quickly as he could, groaning with frustration whenever one would change direction and force him to take a detour. He felt his frustration grow with each passing step he took down the third-floor corridor and stopped for a moment.

He took several breaths. He clenched his fists and looked to his right. A large suit of armor was standing guard to his right. Terry remembered the sight of the suits in Daniel's mind. The empty shells. He kicked his foot out and sent the suit tumbling to the ground with a loud crash.

Several students turned and looked at him in shock. Terry shook his head and kept going. He needed to find Snape.

* * *

Terry moved through the tide of first-years, ignoring the confused looks of Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws as he tried to enter the classroom. He managed to break through and enter the dimly lit classroom stumbling a bit.

He saw a few students still lingering in the room, Luna among them. Terry pulled out his wand and cast a quick _Tempus_ as he had forgotten in his rush what the time was. The spell confirmed that it was just before dinner and that the gathered students were most defiantly the detention crew.

"Mr. Boot," Terry looked to the front of the classroom and saw Snape looking down at a stack of essays. "Why are you here? I do not remember issuing you a detention on this day."

"No sir," Terry found his voice was low, but he approached the Professor's desk cautiously. "I came to ask for your help."

"I do not offer tutoring or private lessons Mr. Boot now leave before you join these students in detention," Snape's gaze barely rose to look at him. He made a shooing motion with his hands and then looked down at the papers.

"Sir," Terry began, his hands were fidgeting and he leaned in closer to the frightening professor. "I need to speak to you. Privately."

"Mr. Boot, if you so wish detention you needed only ask. I will—"

"My friend has found a Diary with the initials T.M. Riddle," Terry blurted out.

Snape froze. His quill stopped moving and his gaze moved to look at Terry. His dark eyes caught Terry's.

Terry felt a lump in his throat and felt another cool chill run up his spine. Snape held the stare for a moment before he abruptly rose from his seat. He glanced around at the gathered first-years and his eyes found Luna's. He held his stare for a moment and Terry could see Snape's eyes tear away from the young girls.

"No," he whispered. He quickly composed himself and cleared his throat. "Detention is canceled. All but Lovegood and Boot leave!"

There was a clamoring as students rushed to put their things away. Many of the students rushed to the door and as the last student left Snape flicked his wand and the door slammed shut. Snape waved his wand, casting a numerous amount of spells before setting the wand down and looking at the two Ravenclaws.

"What do you know?" He asked.

"S—Sir?"

"Tell me everything. What situation has Lovage gotten himself into?"

* * *

The pain in his head began to subside. He felt the disorganization in his mind slowly ebb as memories began to fade. He could remember the past twelve years, yet all the excess that Voldemort had shoved into his cranium was no longer there.

"How do you like it?" Daniel jumped. He looked up and saw himself standing in the doorway of the room. But this version of himself was, far different. He carried himself with an air of confidence that Daniel had never felt nor could he imagine himself feeling. He smirked and his movements flowed smoothly. He spoke quietly, yet there was a dangerous undertone to it. Like when he spoke, there was the threat of violence.

"You…" Daniel backed away and felt his back hit a wall. "Stay back!"

"Aww," his doppelgänger laughed, "it thinks it has authority."

"Stay back you—you," Daniel paused and couldn't think of what to call him.

"Wraith," he spoke, his grin widening, "My name is Wraith. I couldn't stand the thought of being called _your_ name. So, I adopted my own. I have to say, I like it. Dangerous and powerful. Unlike yours. _Daniel._ "

Wraith spat the name out of his mouth. He chuckled and took a seat on one of the only couches to not be overturned.

"Your name is weak. Much like yourself. But tell me. Have you enjoyed your time here? I can't imagine what a difference it must make to spend time here. Tell me, what was it like having all those memories crammed into your skull—oh, excuse me, our skull."

"Why are you doing this?" Daniel whispered. "Why are you helping him? Why are you, keeping my memories from me? Why?"

Wraith chuckled and leaned back into his seat. "Because you don't want me to. Because you came into my life when I was nothing more than a baby and took over. Because you shoved me into the back of my own mind and left me to rot. Because for the first time in my life, I have control. I have the power. And all those years I was trapped in here, I dreamed of what it would be like to burn everything you had to the ground."

"You're crazy!" Daniel screamed.

"Yeah," Wraith chuckled. "Maybe I am. I mean I've been trapped in my own mind for what, eleven years, and some change? Nothing to entertain me but your memories that I had to watch like some discount TV? Maybe I am crazy, Daniel. Maybe I am. But if I am, you made me this way. You shoved me back here—"

"No, I didn't!" Daniel rose from his spot on the floor and rushed Wraith. He grabbed him by his collar and felt tears welling up in his eyes. "I didn't do anything! I died! I got killed and then I got shoved into your body without being told you were even in here! I got chosen, I didn't ask to be here!"

Wraith shoved him off. Daniel fell to the ground and Wraith grabbed him by the back of his shirt and heaved him across the floor.

"Yes, you did!" Wraith screamed. "I looked over that memory more times than I can count! I heard those exact words come from your mouth so many times! _I'll help you_! You felt so proud, so happy to get slingshotted from your world, where you got shit on to here! Yet what did you do with your second chance? You wasted it! You got the shit kicked out of you! You let people push you around! Well, guess what? _I'm_ in control now! And I'm not letting that happen!"

Wraith towered over Daniel, who clutched his head. He had impacted the stone wall and felt warm blood drizzle down his head. He felt Wraith's words kicking him. He felt the weight and the truth of each statement. He thought over his time in the new world. How he had been treated so similar to what he had in the past, to the best of his fractured memory.

He felt the old memories begin to fill his head, still disorganized. He heard Wraith laughing at him. He heard his bullies. All of them. Michael Corner, Ethan Luain. He felt the kicks and the punches.

He knew that tears were welling in his eyes.

He could hear Wraith's taunts.

He could feel two lifetimes worth of shit being dumped onto him.

And yet, he was surprised.

For all he usually felt, was self-loathing, and pity. All he had usually wanted was to run and hide, to be left alone.

And yet, he didn't feel any of those.

He felt his fist clench. He felt his teeth grind. He opened his eyes and through the murkiness of the tears saw his own face laughing at him.

He wasn't full of self-loathing, he realized.

He was angry.


End file.
